If you're an Atheist, what comforts you?

[Nakara]

Long story short, my transition from Christian to Atheist left me with a panic disorder--realizing my mortality was terrifying and now I'm pretty much stuck with dealing the occasional panic attack and periods of intense anxiety.

It's taken me years to recover and I'm still not there yet, but I've since found some semblance of peace. Mostly through nature and meditation, on a bad day I might go to the woods and just sit there and listen, or if it's night I'll stare up at the vast starry sky and wonder about all those little bright dots. Music is also a big comfort--I usually listen to video game or movie soundtracks, and am especially fond of the music in Studio Ghibli films. Art is another way for me to escape, it gives me a way to vent without saying anything.

I've learned to enjoy the little things in life, to feel the sun on my skin on a fair day, to eat my food slowly, to just BREATHE because it's so nice. And I still "pray", except now I KNOW I'm only talking to myself, it's a bit of a meditation thing. So don't quit praying unless it makes you feel silly xP

Oh, and tea. Tea's a big help. Decaf tea.

I've realized I don't need an imaginary friend to get by in life. Some people act like they can never be whole without a god, and while I'm not exactly "whole" as far as my anxiety goes, I'm wholly capable of overcoming it myself sans-god, and so are you ^^