Ellie Goulding has opened up about her struggle with anxiety in a powerful open letter. The Still Falling For You singer revealed she started suffering panic attacks following her sudden rise to fame in 2010, which she said could be "triggered by anything", and were a far cry from the "glamorous" lifestyle her friends from home thought she was living.
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"I think part of what sparked my panic attacks was not feeling confident enough to believe in myself—I was scared I wasn’t as good of a singer as everyone thought I was. And as the stakes grew, I was afraid of letting everyone, including myself, down," Ellie wrote, adding that she became annoyed with herself for being "paralysed with nerves" before every television performance. "I told myself that this was exactly where I was supposed to be and if other people believed in me, I had to start believing in myself."
Ellie Goulding said her fitness routine has helped her to overcome anxiety
The 30-year-old also developed a new found confidence through her fitness routine, specifically with boxing and kickboxing. She wrote: "I love that extra kick of adrenaline. Keeping fit doesn't mean spending hours at a gym; the key is to find a workout you really love. I find gyms mostly male-dominated, so I prefer classes, like at Barry's Bootcamp or Equilibrium TrX. The more I started doing classes and also working out with my trainer, Faisal Abdalla, the better I felt about myself."
STORY: Ellie Goulding opens up about anxiety
Ellie ended the letter by explaining that it wasn't the physical benefits of exercise that she loved so much, but the benefits to her mental wellbeing instead, explaining: "It was about seeing myself get better and stronger. It carried over into other areas of my life, and now I truly feel that exercise - however you like to work out - is good for the soul."
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