Ever have days you want to wish away? Wouldn’t it be great if you could wave a wand over the worry, anxiety or fear you feel right now? It would all disappear into thin air and you could finally enjoy your life.

In the middle of a stress-inducing moment, it’s normal to want to hide under a rock and escape, but these moments often have the most life changing potential. In this article, for example, Waiting for Birdy author Catherine Newman worries about her daughter while waiting at the doctor’s office. She realizes in that moment “that life isn’t about avoiding trouble; it’s about being present, even through the hard stuff, so you don’t miss the very thing you’re trying not to lose.”

Sometimes we equate happiness with comfort. But challenges are unavoidable and trying to avoid them makes for a half-lived life. As Newman says in her quote, sometimes our fear becomes greater than our love in that moment. Spending too much time worrying detracts from the moment we’re in right now.

When we give into fear, we lose track of what’s important. Obsessively worrying about an illness, for example, can drain you, stealing away any potential positive consequences that can come from the situation. To refocus your attention, this week’s posts will help you find the inspiring, the creative and the self-empowering when it comes to your relationships and mental illness.

{Flickr photo by sofi01}

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