Failure is Successful

Old sayings like “the grass is greener on the other side” never really stuck with me. I understand it has a deeper meaning to some people, but to me no matter what the color the grass was, mine was not the same as someone else’s because of my experiences. The same is true for the other side of the grass, sometimes it’s not always greener. Sometimes the battles that someone else is facing are more traumatic, difficult or substantial. One manra that has stuck with me for a very long time though, is “failure breeds success.”

I’m currently taking Prozac- talk about stigmas

Some vulnerability: I’ve have tried too many medications to count. I don’t think I can even name all the SSRI, SNRI, mood stabilizers or anti-anxiety medications that I’ve taken in the past year and a half, but I can tell you that none of them gave me enough relief from my overwhelming symptoms. I’ve noticed that my OCD sometimes gets stronger with some medications or quieter with others; just like I’ve seen adjustments in how long it takes me for me to get from my panic state to a calm one.

While this seems like a pity plea, the reality is that medications aren’t always a viable solution. There’s so much out there to experiment with that isn’t always another combination of chemicals in your body. Which is okay! So many people nowadays will attach a stigma to medications (I’m taking Prozac right now and it’s a blast to hear people joke about it), or they will push meds onto someone who maybe isn’t comfortable trying them. The point is- there’s always another option. I’ve tried several and continue to always look for a new research study or method, even if it doesn’t always work.

Some alternatives that I’ve tried:

  • Essential Oils (looking at you peppermint 😉 )
  • Grounding outside
  • Grounding Coping Skills
  • Deep breathing exercises
  • Running/ Working Out
  • Drinking more water
  • Cutting out gluten (found out that I’m Celiac- whoop!)
  • Exposure Therapy
  • Faith based books

While some of these worked out better than others, I constantly had to remind myself that these failures did bring me success. If I had not kept moving forward to discover new ways to cope with and deal with my anxiety, I would have never found the things that actually work for me.

Find the best pure essential oils here

It’s so important to realize that things are not always the same for everyone. Not everyone is going to react to medications the same way, have the same effect from essential oils or grounding; but people will find at least one thing that works for them. It can be difficult, especially depending on where you are on your anxious journey, amongst other things. But you will find relief somewhere. It might be an extended amount of relief, it might just be 20 seconds. But 20 seconds without anxiety sounds a lot better to me that constantly fighting it.

So here’s your motivational for today: Make a list of the things you’ve tried and highlight all the things that work. I guarantee there are more than you expect. If there isn’t, then remember that failure is successful because now you’re moving on to finding something that works for you.