Hello Gardeners!
Have you ever heard about invasive plants? In nature, invasive plants are plants that aren't native to the area and spread lots of seeds as a way to try to take over the native plants. If you are an experienced gardener, you know you are always checking your garden for these fast growing plants, just so you can pull them out! Well, what if we thought of #anxiety as an invasive plant. Anxiety is an overwhelming sense of distress that often leads to fear and behaves differently in each an every one of us. Some of us experience anxiety occasionally - like those of us who are afraid of thunderstorms - and others experience anxiety every single day!
If we look at the invasive plant analogy, those weeds spread so quickly because so many seeds are spread in such a short amount of time. Anxiety functions similarly - one bad thought feeds another and another and another, and soon your garden is loaded with weeds!
We LOVE this illustration from @journey_to_wellness
Always remember, no matter how overgrown your garden is, you can always roll up your sleeves and clean it up. To our gardener friends who do struggle with anxiety, ask for help! Pulling out those weeds alone is exhausting, and remember what #GardenerAnna & #GardenerAidan always say,
The best way to pull a weed is by talking about it!
What helps alleviate anxiety? LOTS of things! So often anxious thoughts hog all of our brain space and take us out of the present moment. A great way to touch back down and come back into your body is by doing a grounding technique or mindfulness technique. Check out our #HelloGardeners episode on Grounding!
Journaling is great way to help manage anxiety! In our Spring Cleaning post, we asked you to think of your journal as a really good friend. When anxious moments pop up, take a few minutes to write down what you're feeling - it not only helps you notice that feeling, but gives you a second to focus and breathe.
We've got a great craft for a handmade journal, take a look below or head to our Setting Intentions post to see the full instructions!
Talk to your parents or guardians! The people who care for you may be able to see that something is bothering you, but they can't read your thoughts. Talk to them about how you are feeling and how it's impacting you. They may have some suggestions for managing your anxiety or they may have you meet with a Gardening Assistant - most importantly they'll know that this is how you feel.
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