Anxiety... The Undoing of Many a Good Person....

Life is rolling along, it always does, through the smooth and the bumpy, some roads really do require repaving, and than without warning theres a sudden big jolt, a screeching halt and a noise dive into a big gaping pothole!

Excuse my metaphor, but there are so many ways to describe the onslaught of anxiety that I thought it best to describe it in a very universal way and one that we can all relate to. That big gaping and sudden pothole can happen at anytime and it can truly feel as though it is swallowing us whole. The damage, although impermanent, can be devasting when it comes to momentum and the rewards you deserve. Persistancy is threatened as the idea of giving up can sound appealing when every where you look it suddenly appears as though nothing is working and it's fool hardy to continue. This is the illusion that comes from anxiety. Anxiety is stress, worry and struggle personafied as it tightens your chest, closes your throat, sends rushes of energy buzzing through your viens, it can leave you light headed, short of breath and with your heart pounding so hard it feels like it could break out of your chest. Possibility is forgotten and fear takes it's place.

Having suffered from anxiety, also known as panic attacks, I can personally testify that when one does not know what is going on it can lead to a very terrifying experience and a trip to the emergency room. If is sobering to realize that we can wrap ourselves up with such intensity that we can literally feel like our life could be ending.

The point here is not to focus on anxiety, but rather to realize it is not real. We have merely worked ourselves into a state that has manifested these feelings and fears. This can be brought on by several things including career change, stress, financial concerns, loss, moving, competition, family gatherings, holidays and birthdays. There are so many ways we can trick ourselves into believing we are helpless and it is that feeling of helplessness that triggers anxiety and panic.

If you feel completely in charge of your life, would there be a need to panic? No. However how many people actually feel in charge?

How do you take charge of your life and counter the effects of anxiety? Well, in my experience, journaling and making lists, staying focused on where I am going versus anything else proved to be the ticket out of anxiety. First there has to be a realization that anxiety is an emotion and it is coming from you, there fore you are able to transform it. Notice I didn't say stop it.. Transformation is far simplier and it does not reflect battling or rejecting what you are feeling, it reflects rather an ability to move through it. Moving through anxiety to the realization that you are in charge and can tranform the emotion is the only way through to a calmer and more peaceful experience. This is what medication is supposed to do, it's supposed to make you feel more in charge and calmer so you can put the situation into perspective. However... if you are taking anti-anxiety medication and never addressing the anxiety itself you are applying bandaids to something you could completely heal if you - step by step - started to understand it.

Understanding anxiety is knowing yourself. Where you are right now, what you are dealing with, the way you feel about what you are dealing with and how other influences outside of you may be effecting your feelings. Attempt to become an observer of your behaviors, when you feel your emotional self getting wound up, take a step back and simply look at what is going on, just like you would watch a movie, or your favority TV Show. Just recognizing you are getting wound up can be enough to allow time and space to breath and remain calm. When you are able to transform anxiety before it gets the upper hand, you will start to believe that even in these most uncomfortable moments you do indeed have a choice.

If anxiety captures you before you can recognize it, that's fine. First thing to do is to call a spade a spade, allow yourself to admit you are having an anxiety or panic attack, take a moment to stop what you are doing and consciously slow your breathing. Start to look around you at everything, the color of the walls, the texture of the carpet, the tree outside the window, the stuff that you can see, get involved with it, focus on it, feel your feet on the ground beneath you. Continue to slow your breathing. If you feel you have to, sit down. If lots of thoughts start racing in your mind, acknowledge them and let them know you will deal with them later. I find it helpful to say "thank you, I'll deal with it later". Breath slowly and focus on one thing around you. Pay very careful attention to every detail you can see and slowly allow yourself to get absorbed in the process, it may take repeating this activity a few times until you feel grounded and calm, however it is a sure fire way to move through the anxiety because you are taking the focus off of yourself.

A great question I ask myself whenever I sense I could be worrying about something, which can lead to anxiety is; "Right now, in this moment, what is wrong?" By the reference to this moment I mean, right here and now, in this exact moment, and I realize I'm fine, all is well and I have brought myself back to living in the moment.
If there is an issue, I ask myself what is the opportunity I have to find a solution to this issue? I refuse to accept problems, they are only opportunities looking for a solution and I am letting go of the belief that it has to be a challenge or that is has to be hard. Fighting to get anywhere only got me more fighting....

Anxiety is man made. The only time the fight or flight survival instinct has any creedance what's so ever is when you are in the forest, or a deep dark jungle, or perhaps in the middle of the ocean and there are things bigger than you with sharp teeth! In that situation, this is a very good emotion. Day to day however, living our lives, achieving our goals, making different decisions to see different results, taking the action to see a better life, these are all good things.

The key to understand on your path to success is that is it the journey that matters, it is how you take each step and how you feel about each step you are taking. Anxiety can become your advisary or it can be transformed into a intiutive sense of self that allows you to understand that you are perhaps engaging in life differently which is the only way you will ever see different and greater results.

Breath.