Fear and anxiety stink.

There are a million, other ways to say that more eloquently – but that pretty much sums it up.

Fear and anxiety have the sneaky tendency to show up uninvited, try to grab hold of our hope, joy, happiness, and awareness, and then throw those things right the window. It makes overwhelm seem unbearable, it makes your chest tight and vision blurry (literally and figuratively), and even perhaps makes irrational and worst-case scenario thoughts run through your brain.

And the worst part? You feel that you are stuck like this. And alone in this.

Sound familiar?

But isn’t that the agenda of fear? To keep us small, stuck and hidden?

At least, those are the wise (and I’d say quite accurate) words of my friend, Kat Harris.

Kat Harris is a Brooklyn-based speaker, digital content creator, and female empowerment advocate. She loves Jesus, a good Beyoncé dance party, and has an affinity for Ranch dressing (don’t take it away from her!).  She is Co-Founder of online publication The Refined Woman and host of The Refined Collective Podcast. Her vision is for women to know their beauty, identity and value.

And boy, does she have some truths to share about overcoming fear and stepping back into joy.

Friend, if you have ever dealt with overwhelm or burnout, Kat and I are here to tell you that you aren’t alone in this fight. In this episode, Kat and I walk through some real and personal stories of our own journeys with this uninvited guest (ahem, anxiety) and the unfortunate times in our life it has reared its ugly head.

But our stories don’t end there, sister.

In case you need this truthful reminder today: Anxiety is NOT who you are. Anxiety is NOT your destiny.

It’s also not a badge of honor to wear around as proof of your ‘busyness’ in life. Busyness does not equal productivity. And anxiety does not prove importance.

Because even if your worst-case scenario happens, your identity doesn’t change.

In this episode, Kat and I share:

• Our own experiences of overwork and overwhelm,
• How we identify and tackle our fear narratives,
• Tangible tips that help keep our feet on the ground when anxiety tries to strip our joy, and
• Boundaries that we put in place to lead the joyful lives we were created for.

As Kat says, sometimes we don’t know the lies we are believing until we look at the results of our actions. Sister, kick the lies and start believing the truth that you are strong, enough, and a delight. If anxiety has ever been part of your story, know that you are not alone – even when you feel completely isolated. There is so much strength, courage, and freedom in reaching out and having someone walk beside you in this journey.

Kat and I are not professionals, but we do know what it’s like to be at the bottom of fear, and then taking the necessary steps back a life of feeling joy again. And you are absolutely made for that, too. There is hope, peace, and laughter to be shared.

And if you feel you are in need of some professional help, at the end of this episode, Kat shares a trusted counselor that has experience walking clients through the healing process of anxiety. You can find her information here: drtherese.com.

If you are simply looking for a community of like-minded women who are sharing their journeys with one another, consider checking out Together. It’s a platform created for women to share encouragement and empathy through all aspects of life.

And sister, if anxiety hasn’t been a part of your story, you are blessed with protection and provision from these debilitating experiences and feelings (that’s worthy of some praise right there). However, I know firsthand how difficult it is to understand anxiety when you haven’t experienced it. When you listen to this episode, listen with empathetic eyes and ears to perhaps learn more deeply about a friend who experiences anxiety.

Sister, we love you. You are full of strength, beauty, value, and worthiness. We are in this together.

Give this episode a listen on Spotify here!

And for you Android users, listen on Stitcher here!