Calming down anxiety

[renaissancewoman101]

For the last two days, I have been feeling extremely anxious again. How do I calm down and get myself moving. I have been pushing myself to update my resume and get it out on link removed and other employment websites. I am even going out to fill out apps at places like Starbucks and Banana Republic. But I have this innate fear right now to deal with that, and to talk with people. Yesterday, in between school and my water aerobics class, I went and got 2 more estimates about getting my car fixed. I am NOT happy with my insurance settlement from the guy who hit my car. I was extremely nervous about getting my car checked out.

 

And right now I am nervous about calling the insurance agent to argue about how low they settled my claim for. I am also extremely nervous and worked up about going out and filling out more job apps and stuff.

 

I took my meds today, the Celexa, but I still feel like I am ready to jump out of my skin.

 

I need to calm down or else I ain't going to be able to find work. I have not been this nervous in a long while.

[Daligal83]

Hey RW, it's good to see that you've decided to get your resume out there and apply at some other places. Good for you!

 

Can I ask, in the past when you've felt anxious, what has worked to calm you down?

[renaissancewoman101]

Normally, when I get anxious, I go out for a walk and sit out by the beach, or go out for a drive. That helps my anxiety calm down for a bit. But I feel as though I don't have time for that anymore and that I HAVE to find a job SOON so I can survive.

 

I am probably going to go and pick up some apps at different places like Banana Republic and Starbucks, and then go out by the harbor and hang out to enjoy the sunshine. I will fill out those apps later at home and turn them in tomorrow back to those places.

 

I just am having people anxiety right now. I dont want to deal with people. I tend to get like that after a day of school and the third graders.

 

I just feel like I HAVE TO FIND A JOB SOON, so I am in this desperate mode to get something.

[chickidee23]

Take a job, any job that will hire you. Then, take your time looking for one that you will truly enjoy. That will help with the urgency to find one and may help you calm down a bit.

[renaissancewoman101]

Right now my biggest anxiety is going to those places to fill out apps. I would rather fill out apps online and submit them instead of going to the places and filling out apps there.

 

Sometimes, I have a real anxiety of being around people.

[Daligal83]

Have you ever learned any deep breathing exercises? In the short-term, they can really calm you down. It could be helpful to you to learn some and do them right before you go ask for an application. If you want me to look some up for you, let me know.

 

Maybe you could take the application to a nice sunny place and fill it out right then, and take it right back. It looks better if you return the application quickly.

 

I just want you to know that I understand your stress in finding a job. I'm graduating in exactly one month from today and have no job offers at all. I just started sending out my resume and cover letter, even though I have been stressing since last semester. It took me so long because I had huge anxiety over my cover letter. It had to be absolutely perfect or else it would not go out. Once I thought about it, I realized it was more about a fear of failure. As long as I wasn't trying, I hadn't failed. But if I sent my stuff out to a ton of agencies and still didn't have anything, I would feel horrible. I was protecting myself. But honestly, you can't get anything unless you get out there and try. You won't get everything you go after, but all you need is one thing to come through, right?

[Dako]

Ren

Online apps are easy enough, but you get no feedback from them or ideas. If you walk into business and ask about employment, they'll take your app, maybe talk to you and give you suggestions about other places to apply. People all hate jobhunting so they like to help you.

 

Don't fear humans, they can be really helpful, and your personality will cheer them up. Smile a little!

 

As far as your car, you don't need to argue, just tell them your estimates are higher than theirs, and they'll probably adjust the claim. The adjusters do that all the time, and if they don't budge, you gave it a shot.

 

Take your apps to the beach and fill them out in the sun.

 

I'm in the sun right now, and it sure reduces my anxiety, but makes the laptop a bit dim.

[renaissancewoman101]

Sunlight is great and helps to chase away some of the blues. I did pick up some apps at the mall (Banana Republic and Starbucks) and am going to fill them out tonight and return them tomorrow. Starbucks is hiring right now too, which is great.

 

It was nice to sit out at the beach, absorbing the sun and watching the waves. Too bad it was windy and I got sand all over me , but it did help to quell the anxiety.

[ultraviolet]

{{{Ren}}} I know you probably don't want any job advice, but something is telling me I'm supposed to write the following to you, so bear with me...

 

My roommate is applying for work right now and we were surprised to learn that Craigslist is in the top 3 places to land a job. I think Craigslist might charge employers less than link removed etc., so Craigslist tends to attract smaller companies and retail part-time type jobs.

 

By the way, he applied to 4 jobs there a few days ago and heard back from two of them a day later! He's the sort that would rather apply online too, so I thought you might find this option very attractive.

 

One more thing... You're obviously a very talented writer. Technical writing isn't something anyone can just "pick up." Although it might not be one of your favorite things to do, I sincerely believe if you submitted your resume to any temp firm, you'd find a lot of lucrative job offers in your lap. And the nice thing about temping is you can work or not work whenever you want!

 

Good luck!

[Orlander]

How's it going today, Ren? Still having anxiety?

 

Orlander

[renaissancewoman101]

I'm doing better, esp since I have actively started to job hunt. It's kind of depressing that I don't hear back from job applications I've put it. Next thing I am going to do is put in applications at temp agencies, but actually GO there to fill out the apps and turn in my resume. I had a friend take a look at my resume and even he tells me that I am pretty talented and should have NO problem finding a job.

 

I am also cutting back on my spending and trying to live cheaply, although that's hard for me to do.

[Orlander]

Sounds like a good plan, Ren.

 

Before I got my current job I was without one for three months and only a small handful of places I turned in apps to responded. Dont feel bad Ren that not everyone responds to your apps...that's just the way it is.

 

Temp agencies are great! Definitely try your chances there.

 

Orlander