THE ONE HABIT THAT NEARLY CURED MY ANXIETY
and how it can help you too
By Coach Tiffany Johnson
I’ll never forget sitting in prayer with my husband, asking God which road we should take. He had just completed his degree and we were at a crossroads -literally- with the freedom to choose anywhere in the country to work. Our families were divided living between two states, Utah and Illinois. The question weighed on us heavily; Where should we go? Would we follow family to one of those states?
The answer came slowly but clearly- we both got the prompting to move to Illinois. It was the road less traveled for us; we had lived in Utah our whole lives, and so had our children. But we trusted the prompting. Thankfully, the housing market was in our favor and soon we found the home of my husband’s dreams- a four-bed two-bath lakehouse on 40 acres of woods. I’ve always dreamt of raising our kids in the country and this would definitely be country.
Having our faith in the Lord, we bought the house site unseen knowing it’s what God wanted us to do and confident that God would help us make it our own.
We packed up 15 years of belongings, our three kids, a dog and our nervous hopes- and drove across the country. Three days later, we arrived.
The excitement quickly turned into fear as we explored the place we would call our new home. Mouse droppings, spider infestations and plumbing problems greeted us. Doubts crept in. After doing some deep cleaning, we went to bed with mattresses on the floor, hoping for some sleep. But uneasiness lingered.
Day by day, we tried to make the house our home. We began renovating but unfortunately, the feeling of unease remained. My anxiety quickly started to spiral and began to cause sleepless nights and exhausted days. I started having vivid nightmares- our children drowning in the lake, someone breaking in while we’re sleeping, emergency services unable to reach us. With neighbors few and far between, I felt isolated and scared.
The chaos of the renovations added to the clutter in my mind. Unfortunately, my fears began to overpower my faith. I began resenting the lakehouse. I escaped any chance I got- visiting family, planning vacations, staying elsewhere… anything to not be at home… anything to not be alone. The anxiety I experienced made me long to keep moving, keep traveling, and never slowing down. My husband’s job as a traveling nurse made it easy to live on the road, and we embraced a lifestyle of constant movement. It was both thrilling and draining.
Then I met Coach Tami Critchlow.
Through her guidance, I began to uncover what was really going on inside me. I was running- from fear, from discomfort, from growth. I began diving deep into my thoughts and became realigned once again. I reconnected with God’s plan for me and remembered: He sent us to Illinois. I knew I had to return- not just physically, but spiritually.
We had six months of housing left at our current location, and I set a goal. When that time ended, I would return to the lakehouse. In the meantime, I would pepare myself to become the person God needed me to be. I began building daily habits that aligned with that purpose. Eating well and exercise became a spiritual practice- caring for my body and treating it as the gift God gave me. Daily scripture study and prayer strengthened my relationship with my Savior Jesus Christ. I met with Coach Tami regularly, which helped create clarity of my thoughts. Although I could think more clearly, the fears still lingered.
As I took my problem to God, the scripture that came to mind was Doctrine and Covenants 6:36: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." That verse has been a touchstone throughout my life- when I accepted my husband’s proposal, when I was told I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant, and now, in this new chapter. But this time, one phrase stood out: every thought. How could I possibly look to God in every thought?
That question was answered at church the next day. Our class was given a 30-day journaling challenge. I took it seriously. It quickly became my “Give it to God” journal- a sacred place where I laid down every worry, every fear, every thought.
And something miraculous happened.
Writing it all down and handing it over to God- literally and physically- lifted the weight off my chest, taking them away from me. My anxiety began to ease. The act of surrender became part of my daily routine. Eventually, I was carrying the journal with me everywhere. I’d write during quiet moments, reflecting on what was really going on beneath the surface. I combined what I was learning from Coach Tami with the truths I was rediscovering through faith.
Slowly but surely, my faith grew stronger than my fear. I knew that with God, I could overcome this. He is stronger than my doubts, He is stronger than my fears.
This one habit- journaling every day; giving my thoughts to God- nearly cured my anxiety. Not all at once, but in gentle, daily steps. I remembered: His will be done. And I can rest in that.
I would like to extend the challenge to you. Every day for 30 days. Give it to God.