Anxiety: Terrible and Short

Much has been said about and written about anxiety and, it seems to me, that very little of it has been helpful. The problem of anxiety has grown to such a degree that its experience is almost universal. YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE and IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!! We do not experience anxiety because of too little faith or because we are irrational people. Anxiety starts automatically, your brain does it for you, and that is exactly what it was designed to do.

The experience of anxiety in most of its forms is the result of a hormonal response in the the brain to prepare the body for danger. The amazing thing about this process is that it happens so fast that we don't get to decide what the danger is until after our body is already prepared for a battle. That's wonderful when a battle or the need to flee is upon us, (as in the case of the skunk I ran away from the other night). And . . . Sometimes our automatic brain is triggered when it does not need to be. We have all jumped back in fear because we thought we saw a snake or a mouse only to find out that it was a stick. The automatic part of our brain is much faster than our the rational part. This is how anxiety happens, the brain is triggered and the body follows. Then we begin to fear the experience...and so we start the cycle over. This is anxiety.

I want to offer you a way to begin coping. The body can only maintain a state of heightened awareness for about 30 seconds!! Did you hear that!! That means that there is a way out of your anxiety every 30 seconds or so. We can be re-triggered and cycle again...but 30 seconds is the limit.

Next time you experience anxiety instead of cycling toward a panic attack try this.

1. Acknowledge and give space to your experience (now would be the time to put an essential oil on to help this process). What emotion do you feel? What place in your physical body do you feel that emotion?

2. Take a deep breath and notice the change. Now you know that there is an exit every 30 seconds, notice your bodies reaction changing. Watch for the downturn. Notice what happens. Wait expectantly for your experience to change.

3. When you notice the change, tell yourself the truth and re-orient yourself in your environment.

4. Immediately act on the truth.

There is hope. This won't take away your anxiety tomorrow. But it may give you back a piece of your life. You can heal, your brain can change. You do not have to accept that anxiety controls you.

Be Free and if you need a little help with this send me a message

Be Blessed today