Story Time

Hello Anxiety

Imagine you're feeling anxious. You're sweating bullets, your heart is racing, you're jumpy, you're way too overstimulated, and everything seems louder than normal. Now where are you when you feel this way? Some people may say school, some may say at a podium attempting public speaking, and others may say an important business meeting. Where do I picture myself?

The grocery store.

This may sound silly to some, but shopping at the grocery store alone can be really anxiety-inducing for me! I have come out of the store many times nonchalantly wiping sweat off my forehead and pretending to fix my hair. And the best part, I don't really know why I get so anxious there. I bet a lot of you can relate to that part. Why is it that we feel anxious in the most illogical places sometimes?

Fight or Flight

Anxiety is our body's natural alarm system. When our body is in danger, it triggers that anxiety alarm to warn us to do one of two things; fight or fly. I personally, prefer the flight option. This is a biological impulse that has been honed in our brains for thousands of years. Nowadays, many of us lucky ones have alarm systems that malfunction. They make us feel stressed and anxious in situations where we shouldn't normally feel that way. And man is it frustrating. I can't tell you how many times I have been at the store, seen a really good friend from school, and completely avoided them, heading to the opposite end of the store just so I don't have to make conversation. And it's not like I'm avoiding my arch-enemy. These are great friends of mine who I used to hang out with all the time! So why do I go into a mini panic when I see them at the grocery store?

I'll be honest I'm not entirely sure. But I am assuming it has to do with what I have associated that specific environment with. Going into the grocery store already anxious makes it even more likely for my anxiety to trigger over something insignificant or even good for me. When that anxiety level is already high, it will jump at the opportunity to increase even more.

My Solution

So how do I fix this? Obviously. I can't avoid the grocery store forever. (For those of you who are thinking of ordering online, yes that is an option but don't get too excited.) If I keep avoiding the thing that causes me irrational anxiety, that level of anxiety is only going to get worse. I know this for myself, and I bet you've had some experiences that affirm it to you as well. But I also hate the concept of "Put on your big girl pants and do it anyway, sucker!" To me, that mindset only causes more negative and self-destructive thought loops. So what to do?

I like to let my mind focus on something else while I am at the grocery store. Give it something else to hyper-focus on. Something that works wonders for me is to play my own music, podcast, or audiobook in my wireless headphones while I do my shopping. Not only am I forcing my brain into focusing on one type of stimulation rather than 20, but I'm also giving it something to think about. Whether that something is the lyrics in your favorite song or a really good point the author of your favorite audiobook makes, it's something. And when I start this before I even enter the store, it makes the concept of "conquering my fear" a lot less intimidating.

So for those of you who struggle with grocery store anxiety, I want you to know that I can relate. And I challenge you to find something you can do to help the anxious little voice in your mind focus on something other than the stress of shopping. Think of it like you're giving it a shiny toy to play with while you get down to the productive stuff.

Good luck!