If you are struggling with anxiety and panic symptoms, you know that Halloween can’t hold a candle to how scary your everyday life is. And that can’t be put back in a box. Or can it?
Panic – Ugh
When people name their anxiety, they use “monster, devil, nasty, gremlin, or evil creature.” If you view your anxiety that way, you’re likely at war with it, and if you are at war with it, you will lose.
It makes sense to label anxiety that way, it is causing you emotional, physical and mental pain. I GET IT. I’ve been there and it make sense to believe anxiety is THE enemy. It has taken away parts of your life, and it is exhausting to be in the anxious fight. And likely your anxiety is getting worse.
Anxiety – Take the Fangs Out
If you see it as your enemy, you will try to avoid it and that is a big problem. If you avoid your anxiety, you do it because you are scared. And if you tell yourself to be scared, you’ll activate your fear part. And if you activate your fear part, it will oblige you, do its job and reward you with all kinds of anxious symptoms. Isn’t that what you just told yourself to do, be scared? Ok! So avoidance doesn’t work.
We need to see our anxiety as the scared kid part that it is. It does not know how to react any differently than fight, flight or freeze.
Anxiety Is Your Friend
What?? Yes, anxiety has been designed in us to protect us from real danger. We create fears with “what if” thinking, living in the future, over-attending to sensations, and telling ourselves the goblins are real. The symptoms are real, YES, but the source is not goblins. It’s us.
You didn’t know you were setting off the anxious alarm. You were just trying to avoid or react to this confusing and terrifying anxiety and panic. There are lots of techniques to learn to put the scary, anxious costumes back in the box.
It is time to stop practicing being anxious and start practicing being calm. Today! Right Now! Why Wait? Trust me, I have been where you are. I was activating my anxiety and panic, like an expert, for 15 years.
You already know your anxious part.
Anxiety and Your Calm Part
Let me introduce you to your calm part.
- Your calm part breathes deeply and slowly, not shallowly, pressured or hyper.
- Your calm part moves from “what if” thinking to “so what.”
- Your calm part muscles feel soft and flexible, not rigid and tight.
- Your calm part has a heart that beats normally and relaxed.
- Your calm part takes obsessive thinking and says, “Thank you, I am focused and grounded.”
- Your calm part has learned to do focus exercises to release scattered thoughts.
Ask Your Calm Part to Help.
Join me in group or individually and learn more about how to unwind your anxiety for good.
Let’s put the anxiety and panic back in the box, reclaim your life so you can fully participate in life with joy and happy. It is possible!!
Need Help with Anxiety or Panic? Feel Free to Reach Out.