Living With Anxiety

Anxiety is often treated as a problem to be solved. But it’s a normal human emotion, as ordinary as hunger or fatigue. Trying to get rid of it for good is a bit like trying never to feel hungry. It doesn’t work.
And when we treat anxiety as a problem, by trying to cope with it, suppress it or talk ourselves out of it, we teach ourselves to see it as a threat. Then we end up anxious about being anxious, and the original feeling gets harder to live with.
This meditation takes a different approach. Instead of trying to get rid of anxiety, you’ll get to know it: where it shows up in your body, what it feels like, and what it might be asking for. Along the way, you’ll give your attention somewhere calmer to rest while the questions sink in.
If you’re tired of feeling anxious about feeling anxious, try this instead.

Transcript

If you're here, There's a good chance you're feeling anxious, And you'd rather not. Perhaps you've tried telling yourself to calm down or to stop worrying. Or maybe you took a few deep breaths, Hoping to soothe your nerves. But your anxiety may not have liked those options very much. So let's see if we can figure out what might actually help. It's been said that we get pushed around by feelings when we don't fully understand them. And that to understand them. We first need to get to know them. So let's start there. Where exactly do you feel anxious? From head to toe. Or just in certain parts of your body. Perhaps the chest. The throat. Or the belly. And how would you describe the feelings? Jittering, Icky. Buzzing Something else? And do the sensations change? Even a tiny bit as you watch. Take a few moments to notice. Is there a sense of hate? Or pressure. Does the anxiety feel like it wants to move up or down? Or to expand or collapse. Now, Imagine that these feelings belong to someone you could sit down and talk to. Perhaps someone younger or less experienced than you. And ask that person. Do you want me to tell you to calm down? Or would you rather I just listen? You want me to push you away? Or would you prefer that we hang out together for a bit? Or you might simply ask. What do you want from me? You might get an answer. An image. Or nothing at all. For now. Just let those questions linger in the back of your mind. And let your attention widen. As though you were looking out over a calm sea. Notice the color of the water. Clouds drifting by high above. I bet your gays go very soft. As though you were slipping into a daydream. Then take a comfortable breath in. As though savouring the fresh salty air. Inside out. Letting your shoulders drop a fraction as you do. And if that feels good. Do it once more in a lazy, Unhurried manner. Now, Breathe in again. But this time gently clench your jaw and fists and push your feet down into the floor. And as you sigh out. Release that tension. And once again. But even more gently. A light squeeze on the in-breath. I'm adding everything loose and a little. As you breathe out. Now let's explore a little further. Take a moment to consider why anxiety might have visited today. It's usually trying to communicate something. In the same way that hunger comes along to tell you that it's time to eat. Anxiety comes along to let you know that something needs your attention or care. Is there a conversation you've been pulling off? Are you worrying about someone you care about? Perhaps there's a deadline looming. Or maybe you're facing a situation where you simply don't know how things will turn out. Of course, Anxiety doesn't always have anything useful to say. Sometimes it blares like a fire alarm that was set off by nothing more than some slightly overdone toast. In any case. What might be true of your anxiety today. Perhaps now it feels a little less intense. Or perhaps it hasn't shifted at all. Either way. You've practiced something important. You took the time to listen to your anxiety and to explore what it might mean. And perhaps today you can get on with your life without letting anxiety be the boss. And that's not nothing. But it is the end of this meditation. If you liked it, Let me know. And feel free to suggest other topics for me to cover.

Reviews

I’m always excited to see that you’ve posted something new because it’s always helpful. This one on anxiety is no exception. Thank you!!🩷🌸