ANXIETY GETS A BAD RAP!

Let’s be honest...anxiety can feel absolutely horrible when it gets out of control.

When we experience high levels of anxiety on a regular basis for seemingly no reason it can very quickly start to dominate our life and even feel like it is starting to define our existence.

But let’s not confuse what anxiety is all about.

It’s not there purely to warn of imminent doom (although it can be).
It’s not there simply to limit your movements (although it can be).
It’s not there to make you terrified of what might be about to happen (although it can be). The purpose of anxiety is essentially to get you to pay attention to whatever is most important right now.

That could be to get you to avoid a negative situation.
It could be to get you to prepare correctly for a challenge you are about to face.
It could even be to stop you taking on something you feel you can’t handle.

The point is that anxiety isn’t there to upset you. It’s there to get your focus, with a mind to keep you safe and potentially happy.

This is why trying to ignore anxiety doesn’t do much good... it often just makes it shout even louder.

The best way to deal with someone who is relentlessly trying to get your attention is to give that person your attention: find out what they want.
Listening to what your mind is telling you and seeking to understand what you are actually anxious about can be a huge step towards getting control of it.

If you listen to what that part of you is saying instead of fearing the message, you then get to realise when it has things wrong.
Listening to that part does not mean automatically believing it.
Hearing that part does not mean blindly reacting to its message.

Like all well-intentioned friends, the part of you creating anxiety is very often mistaken in its fears. However, we don’t find that out until we hear the message.

All the time we push that part away we force it to shout louder.

So have a listen.

It's here to help.