Some notes on anxiety inspired by Matt Haig

So why is anxiety on the rise? Could it be that we worry too much about things we do not need to, things that make no sense, not really when everything is all boiled down? I am a big fan of the work and writing of Matt Haig who you may know wrote his book Reasons To Stay Alive coming out of a battle with both anxiety and depression in his early 20s..

I am making my way slowly through two more of his books lately…Notes On A Nervous Planet and The Book of Comfort.

In these he shares personal wisdom and experiences with battling issues such as depression, anxiety, self judgement, alcoholism, compulsions and consumerism, (which is always trying to convince us through various marketing or advertising campaigns that we are not enough, do not do enough, do not look good or young enough or in some other way are falling short of an ideal state that in no way has any real basis at all in fact).

I really recommend Matt’s books and I have watched many interviews with him over past months in which he also talks about the fiction and children’s fiction that he writes.

Those of us who suffer from panic disorders are often the ones who try to do too much since deep down we do not feel good enough, but sadly often the ones who are judging us the most may be our own inner critic or the shame inducing outer critic of someone else who is not really all that happy with themselves either.

The following is taken from Notes On A Nervous Planet :

Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel you aren’t enough. Don’t feel you have to achieve more just to be accepted. Be happy with your own self, minus upgrades. Stop dreaming of imaginary goals and finishing lines. Accept what marketing doesn’t want you. to : you are fine. You lack nothing.

Aim not to get more stuff done. Aim to have less stuff to do . Be a work minimalist. Minimalism is about doing more with less. So much of working life seems to be about doing less with more. Activity isn’t always the same as achievement.

Do not do the work others expect you to do.. Do the work that you love to do (and is manageable for you). You only get one life.. It’s always best to live it as yourself.