Coping With Anxiety
If you experience or have experienced anxiety in the past, then you know how debilitating it can be. Anxiety doesn’t only open the floodgates of depression, frustration, and self-hate, but it can ruin the meaningful relationships in your life. Are you coping with your anxiety?
Anxiety is the monster that hides under your bed at night. You try to disguise your fears, but sometimes they get the better of you. When it does latch on to you, it’s like walking through a smoky room. It clings to the spirit as smoke clings to clothes.
When allowed to roam free, anxiety will run your life. It is the worst kind of thief. It steals away feelings of joy and replaces them with feelings of worry and stress. In severe cases, anxiety will take away your ability to live in the moment. When you are always anxious about what’s to come and worrying about things that have passed, it robs you of the right now. It doesn’t take your life away, it takes you away from your life. So far away, in fact, that sometimes it’s all too easy to get lost.
Believe it or not, anxiety is important for human evolution. We, humans, experience anxiety so we are better able to protect ourselves. We think about bad things that have happened in the past to learn how to prevent them in the future. We anticipate what’s to come so we can better prepare ourselves for the future. So you can see why it becomes such a companion within relationships.
No one in their right mind wants to be squandered by love. The grief that comes from a broken heart is the worst pain imaginable. Anxiety in relationships is like having a blind guard dog. It will tell us something’s wrong even when everything is fine.
So often, people will try to cure their anxiety through medication and intense therapy. Although this may work for some, there are others that may require a more direct approach. The best way to master anxiety is to first accept that there is no magic cure for it because it is a part of who you are. That said, with much self-work and dedication, the beast can be tamed.
Here are 3 unconventional, yet extremely effective means of embracing and controlling your anxiety.
Meditation: first, it is important to distinguish the type of anxiety being written about in this article. There are many types of anxiety. Anxiety stems from both external and internal forces. An example of an outside force would be an anxiety caused by a true life or death situation or an anxiety caused by something happening at work. Internal anxiety is caused by more spiritual issues, such as the fear of experiencing a broken heart or the fear of the death of a loved one. That is the type of anxiety we are talking about here.
Because anxiety comes from a spiritual place, the best way to get to that place is through meditation. In order to defeat the anxiety, you have to go to the source—the self. Meditation allows your mind to be calmer and more focused. There are several different types out there and there is a type of meditation that will suit your needs.
Redirect the energy: If meditation is not an option, another method that will help you embrace your anxiety is to redirect the energy that the anxiety causes. Go for a walk, clean, do yoga, or jumping jacks in the living room. Any amount of energy that can be released and let go of will be helpful to you at this point.
Also, keep in mind that physical activity isn’t the only way to release energy. Painting and music are creative things that can redirect creative energy. In many cases, it also opens you up to more positive emotions, which naturally push anxiety out.
Offer gratitude: That’s right, you read that correctly. Counting your blessings not only puts you in the moment, but it is the quickest way of filling yourself up with positive feelings. If you are full of love and gratitude, there is little room for anxiety.
When you start to feel anxious, take a moment to give thanks to the Universe for all the amazing things you’ve had in your life. Fill yourself only with gratitude and do not allow feelings of resentment or envy for what you don’t have to come flooding through.
You should appreciate what your anxiety is telling you and be mindful of your fears. If it wasn’t for fear and anxiety, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It reminds us when danger is lurking.
Sending love out to you all and hoping you too will find a place of peace where you can love your anxiety. After all, it is a part of YOU. Coping with your anxiety and being aware of it only makes you stronger.
Anxiety and Stress Reduction Course – Creating Peace Within
Related Articles: Stop Pushing Your Anxiety Out the Door and Start Listening to What It’s Telling You
Toxic Thinking and How to Let it Go
©Love Wide Open
