Prior to COVID-19 anxiety has been increasing at an alarming rate all over the world. The World Health Organisation had recorded anxiety at 37% prior to the lockdown. However, they have stated that anxiety has raised to 50% in the last three months which is a significant change from March 2020. Arguably both numbers would be catastrophically higher if they were to include those who are suffering in silence, this increase in anxiety is frightening. But surely this rise in anxiety is understandable due to the fears of getting ill, quarantine, lockdown, redundancy, what the future looks like, conspiracy theories… the list is literally endless but why do we focus on the negatives?
I believe it is safe to say that some people love to live a life of drama and this world pandemic gets them excited (even if there are no zombies). Additionally, some people wear anxiety like a badge of honor, they don’t want to change their ‘Mindsight’ as they get off on having that victim mentality, absorbing all the negatives life has to offer as they blame everyone except for themselves for their problems.
What if I were to tell you that 95% of your problems are your own fault. Let that sink in for a moment, I have lived with this theory for years. I am sure if you look hard enough there is countless positives within your life. Why feel down because it’s raining, when you should be grateful that there is not a drought or why feel lonely when you are alone when you can enjoy your own company, you can learn a lot from yourself. When no one else is around go for a walk in the fields or up a mountain, learn a new skill, write a book about yourself. It does not matter what you do just always look at the bright side of life (yeah bad pun from Monty python I know but it stands).
I know what you are thinking; “I have lived a traumatic experience therefore I can no longer enjoy life the way I used to”. Just because one event has changed your mind-set it does not mean it has to change your life. Of course, the impact of your situation has created a crisis but it is only situational (for most). You can always move forward, you can always change your thought process. Think about prisoners, every one
of their circumstances will have changed when they are sentenced, but for so many inmates they are able to change their mind-set whilst their situation remains the same.