Lauren Jarvis-Gibson

People with anxiety don’t back down. We don’t stop. We don’t give up. Even when we have three panic attacks in a row. Even when we have to go to the ER just for someone to convince us that we aren’t dying. Even when we have to change medications over and over again.

They dress up for themselves, not for men or for anyone else. Strong women want to look their best because it makes them feel good. It isn’t for anyone else. It’s for their happiness and joy. Clothing is an art form, not a runway show for people to whistle at. 

Give up on your idea of perfection. You are not and never will be perfect. Give up on the idea that you have to be the perfect girlfriend or boyfriend. On the idea that you have to have the perfect body in order to be happy or to succeed.

Nothing good will come from bottling up your heart. Nothing good will come from repressing your every emotion. Nothing good will come from living a lie.

I realized that I was never going to be fully happy until I could learn how to grieve, how to fail, how to grow, and how to succeed — all on my own.

We will give you our all. We will give you our blood and tears and sweat with no shame. This is who we are. And we aren’t ashamed of that. 

Falling in love makes you strong. It makes you smart. It makes you fearless. And I think, I want to be fearless too.

Show her that you are the type of person who will fight for what you believe in. And what you believe in, is her. Show her that this time, love is going to be different. That this time love will be braver and stronger and will withstand against the winds of change.

If I didn’t have anxiety, I’d have better self esteem. I wouldn’t question my ability to write. I wouldn’t question myself as a person. I wouldn’t question my self worth and ability to love. I would just be content with just me.

You keep her by knowing that you will never be able to take all of her pain away. And knowing that she will never fully be able to take away yours. But by knowing that at least having each other, is better than nothing at all. 

That’s the thing about anxiety. You can’t wish it away or pray it away or drink it away. You can’t disconnect. You can’t just. Stop.

Having other people voice concern about your mental and emotional health makes your panic spin out of control. For them to see your struggle and see what you have to go through every day just to get through life is terrifying for you. You would rather save them from seeing you like that.