How I Reduce the Anxiety from Disagreeing with My Family

I find that it's easier to make difficult decisions when I have the support of my loved ones behind me. When I have to make decisions that they have difficulty supporting, the isolation I feel heightens my anxiety. I have learned three methods to take steps to cut down the anxiety resulting from disagreeing with my family so that I can still make the decisions that will benefit me. 

Surviving the Anxiety of Disagreeing with Family

Communicate

When I make a decision that my family doesn't agree with, the thing that leads to my anxiety getting worse is feeling alone. The truth of the matter is that I don't have to feel so alone, and I have found that it's a really useful tool for me to reach out to the people that I feel estranged from and just tell them how I feel. Even if my family cannot understand why I want to make some of the decisions I feel that I need to make, they can understand that I still want them to be a part of those decisions.

Practice Confidence 

Deviating away from the social support of my family can make me feel insecure in my decision if my family disagrees with me. When I find myself in these situations, I try to remember that I know what's best for me, and I need to make decisions according to that, but the confidence to do that doesn't come easily. I have found that I've needed to work on practicing confidence in order to ease my anxiety about making difficult decisions on my own.

I use a few different methods to increase confidence. The first is that I work hard on making the decision that I originally made work out for me instead of losing myself to anxiety. The second method I use to increase confidence is to not give in to the fear that can sometimes overrun me. The last method I use to increase my confidence is to adjust my body language to be upright and open, which can help contribute to a more confident mindset. 

Meditate 

I have found that meditation is a great tool for me to lessen the anxiety that I feel. When feeling like I am alone in making my decision, a few minutes of meditation can really turn my whole day around. I sit down on the floor, take some deep breaths, and set a timer for 10 minutes. During those 10 minutes, I clear my mind as best I can and just focus on my breathing.

For me, meditation can feel like a fresh start, even on a really bad day. It can just cut down harmful thought cycles, anxiety, and overthinking and give me a second chance at a good day. 

In Conclusion

Disagreeing with my loved ones is bound to happen, but that doesn't mean I have to let the anxiety from it ruin my life. What used to cause me to spin out of control is now kept balanced by communicating effectively, practicing confidence, and meditating.