Anxiety – Page 3 – Melissa Schlies

A Social Distancing Survival Guide for Everyday (Free Download)

They say, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Right now, we’re all feeling the truth of this statement in a way we’ve never experienced before. It's amazing how much of our lives have changed in such a short period of time. Not only has the pandemic caused us to give up the majority of our social interaction for the foreseeable future, but it has also cost us many of the crucial components of our everyday lives. We’ve had to say a lot of goodbyes. Some forever, and some for an unknown amount of time. Some as [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-04-06T16:03:08+00:00March 30th, 2020|Categories: Acceptance, Anxiety, Change, Courage, Depression, Fear, grief, Habit Making, perseverance, Routines, Social Distancing Survival Guide, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What if We’re Homebound Because of COVID-19?

Hello Friends, this post was written very early in the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, its implications and our understanding of them, have only grown. All that to say, there is so much this post doesn’t address (the loss of jobs, the stress on hospitals, etc.). But as many of us continue to practice social distancing, the spirit of this piece still stands. Just when we thought the world couldn’t get any crazier, a flu-like virus is shutting down entire countries and giving almost 300 million students an unexpected, scary spring break. Companies are asking employees to work from home, or at minimum, [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-03-24T16:03:48+00:00March 16th, 2020|Categories: Anxiety, Creativity, Fear, Health, Hope, Mental Health, Preparation, Self Care|Comments Off

This One Lie is Holding Us Back More Than We Think

It was progress report day, my senior year of high school. After Art, I made my way to my last class, Spanish IV. There, I sat in my usual seat, and laid my books out on my desk. But when our teacher stood up to begin his lecture, a student appeared at the door. “Mr. M, Mr. C wants to see Melissa, if it’s ok.” At this Mr. M nodded. Then looking at me, he leaned his head towards the door as if to say, ‘you may go.’ I got up from my desk. Then the student added, “He wants [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-03-01T12:26:59+00:00March 2nd, 2020|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Creativity, Depression, Identity, Purpose|Comments Off

In 2020, Let’s Use A New Word

One day, this past year, I sat in child’s pose on my yoga mat. I was in my living room, streaming a yoga class on my laptop. And like any class you’ve taken more than two or three times, I was only half paying attention. I knew what I needed to do (breathe). And I knew what I needed to do next (downward dog). But then, the instructor said something I had heard her say before. Only this time, the full meaning of her words took root. She said, “Today, pay attention to where you are at in your practice.” [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-03-26T16:37:38+00:00January 20th, 2020|Categories: Anxiety, Balance, Change, discipline, Failure, Habit Making, perseverance, Practice, Preparation, Routines|Comments Off

Comparison: It’s Not Our Job

Over the past few years, there’s a word that’s been thrown around to describe our generation: Entitled. But I don’t believe our problem is that we think we are owed everything. I think the problem is we compare ourselves to others. Then we worry about what it says about us, if we aren’t in the same place (financially, career-wise, etc.), as everyone else seems to be. I don’t believe our problem is that we think we are owed everything. I think the problem is we compare ourselves to others. Comparison is never about the person we’re focusing on. It’s always [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-10-24T12:42:10+00:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, comparison, Courage, Hope, Mental Health, Purpose, Rejection, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What Holds Us Back: The Fear of Criticism

"What will people think?” Sometimes, what is holding us back is as simple as these four little words. Seconded only by “What will people say?” The power that these two small questions have is incalculable. Because, no matter where we were born, what our family was like, or where we went to school, we all know the sting of criticism. And it is our natural response to try to avoid the pain. Only what happens when the thing you know you’re meant to do, the thing you should do, or the thing you can’t stop dreaming about—could put you in [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-18T14:50:53+00:00April 22nd, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Calling, Change, Courage, Failure, Fear, Freedom, Hope, Making Decisions, perseverance, Rejection, Success, Uncategorized|4 Comments

Five Ways I Manage Anxiety

In celebration of her fortieth birthday, last month author Sarah Bessey shared forty important things she’s learned in her life. One thing she said that struck me was this: “Being a responsible adult is the most underrated form of self-care.” Then she went on to explain by listing all the “boring” tasks of adulting like going to bed at a decent time, exercising, keeping a budget, etc. Sometimes, the greatest thing we can do for ourselves is to live a more disciplined and routine life. To commit to practices that don’t necessarily bring us the most joy, but in the big [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-11T13:27:54+00:00April 11th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Fear, Food, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Routines, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What Holds Us Back: Anxiety

For me, it feels like someone has reached in and grabbed my heart. I can’t breath very well, and panic fills my insides. From what I’ve heard, for others, their palms get sweaty, their mind races, they even start shaking. All their worries spill over from their emotions into their physical body. There’s little control and it takes a lot to calm down. Anxiety For many of us it is a constant hum in our day to day lives. It’s stress on caffeine. Though some of us have found a way to bring it down to a decaf level—it’s still [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-03T19:37:48+00:00April 8th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Fear, Hope, Mental Health, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Failure On The Ski Slope

I had done this before. So why was I struggling so much to even get on the lift? It was New Year’s Day. My friend from high school and her boyfriend had picked me up from my grandparents house in Boston, where I was living at the time. Then we drove up to New Hampshire to go skiing for the afternoon. The previous spring I had graduated from college, and now I was working in a university bookstore in the city. My friends were scattered around the country, and my life was not going to plan. So having my friend [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-03-01T19:23:21+00:00March 11th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Failure, Success, Uncategorized|6 Comments

Never Enough Time

One Sunday morning recently, I poured myself a cup of my new decaf Italian Espresso Roast from Dean’s Beans. Then, donning my Red Sox hoodie and yoga pants, I made my way to the big chair that sits in the corner of our living room. I picked up one of my favorite books that I haven’t read in years and prepared to settle in for some much desired chill time. Only, I couldn’t focus. The list of the things I could or should be doing started growing in my brain. After being sick for a good chunk of January, I felt [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-02-16T14:35:13+00:00February 18th, 2019|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Faith, Fear, Health, Saying No, Uncategorized|6 Comments

What if We’re Homebound Because of COVID-19?

This One Lie is Holding Us Back More Than We Think

In 2020, Let’s Use A New Word

Comparison: It’s Not Our Job

What Holds Us Back: The Fear of Criticism

Five Ways I Manage Anxiety

What Holds Us Back: Anxiety

Failure On The Ski Slope

Never Enough Time

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