Cats are the Solution to Anxiety

I'm sitting here feeling anxious.

I feel anxious about going to see yet another house. I feel anxious about finding a house. I feel anxious about not finding a house. I feel anxious about taking out a loan. I feel anxious about being able to get a job. I feel anxious about not getting a job. I feel anxious about bringing my goats to New York and anxious about not being able to bring them.

I feel anxious about getting a New York driver's license. About getting my car's registration changed.

I feel anxious about driving 26 hours from Texas to New York. I feel anxious about my flight home.

So many things to feel anxious about.

I feel anxious about my anxiety!!

I really hate feeling anxious. It gives me a headache. I get insomnia. I feel super sick to my stomach. I get weird body pains. I get stress stupid.

I'm having a hard time stopping the endless cycle of the what if game.

What if things get worse? What if things fall through? What if I can't find a house? What if I buy a house and something terrible happens? What if I can't pay back the loan? What if I hate it in New York? What if I can't get a loan, to begin with? What if the seller changes their mind at the last minute? What if I don't ask the right questions? What if I don't bid enough money? What if I bid too much money?

What if? What if? What if?

The worst part of the what if game is my reaction. Over the years I have trained myself to not react as if my what if has already happened. But the more anxious I get, the harder it is to remember my training.

Deep breath.

Instead of dwelling on things I simply cannot control (for the time being), I shall focus on cats. Cats are always the answer.

My mom collects cats. You can find her cats in the most random places in her house.

It took me a week to find this gem.

I guess I don't look up as often as I could. The time is wrong on it, anyway. I don't feel too bad for not noticing.

I did a tour of upstairs only and found a few more gems.

The fat cat and the skinny cat.

These three dudes are just kickin' it under the TV.

This happy little rainbow meow meow is in the bathroom.

Does it seem weird for me to just keep posting pictures of cats? It seems a little weird to me. Not much of an article, really. It is, however, serving its purpose of keeping me from stressing out to the max. So, here are some more.

The framed painting of the annoyed tabby cat is also in the bathroom. It is funny to me that the rainbow kitty looks so happy and the orange kitty looks pissed off.

Maybe it is just that the little angry kitty would rather be depicted as how he sees himself in his mind's eye. A ferocious tiger.

This tiny carved marble statuette also looks pretty ferocious, if you ask me.

Mom has had this painted rock for years. I can't remember where she got it.

This tiny box holds tinier trinkets. Hair ties, barrettes, and random little things.

Miss Fancy Pantsy in her high heels and jewelry is one of my favorites.

And finally, the cat pic that makes me smile every time:

Teeny Tiny Barney sitting in her Daddy's lap. I can't help but smile at this one. Keith claims to hate cats. In reality, he loves them. He is kind and sweet to every cat. But especially to Barney. She really is his special girl.

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All images photos by Jonica Bradley