Controlling your Anxiety

Anxiety is a real b***h but we can learn from her. The first step to managing anxiety is understanding that all the anxious thoughts we experience are rooted and stem from fear. Typically a fear of not being worthy or enough just as we are. This is where anxiety and self love work hand in hand. I can attest to this statement as someone who has suffered with severe anxiety and low self worth from a very young age. As we become more compassionate with ourselves and grounded in who we are, anxious thoughts begin to dissolve because we trust ourselves and the path we are on. There is less fear arising within us because we are secure within ourselves. Although anxious thoughts will always arise, once we understand the reasoning behind them we start to gain control.

When we begin to analyze our anxious thoughts it can be hard to pin point exactly where the fear is coming from. Or what exactly the fear is that is causing the anxiety.

We can start by becoming the watcher of our thoughts, noticing and separating ourself from them. This will take practice but be patient with yourself. It's a great accomplishment to even become aware of your thinking so show gratitude and compassion as you start this journey.

As mentioned previously, anxious thoughts come from a fear of not being enough or worthy just as we are. If we notice that we have anxiety about money then we maybe have a fear of not having enough or that we are not worthy of having money. If this resonates with you then ask yourself where did this fear come from? If we have anxiety about our appearance then we could have a fear of being judged which also is rooted in not being enough just as we are. Again ask yourself where did this fear come from? Maybe from societal pressures to look or be a certain way. Or from someone that was close you who made you feel less than. Regardless of the story attached to these fears, you have the choice to allow them to cause suffering in life or not. You are in control of your response to any limiting belief or fear that was put onto you.

Once we begin cultivating an awareness we can take control over our suffering and understand the story behind the fear we have created. If we can learn to be aware of these thoughts, we can create space to separate ourselves from them. In this space we can respond rationally and bring awareness to what fears are rooted in these anxiety filled beliefs. Again, this will take time and patience but with repetition you will experience a greater sense of awareness to your thoughts. Sometimes these thoughts are so intense that we have a physical response to them. We begin to experience physical symptoms like a head ache, tight chest or stomach aches. When physical and or emotional responses to our anxiety occur the best thing we can do is to take a moment to become aware of what is happening in the body. Bring your focus to your breath and slowly inhale then exhale. Try to become the watcher of the experience. This will ground you back to the present, allowing you to become more aware your body and mind. This is also how we are create space between stimulus and response. The anxiety is the stimulus and the response is how we consciously respond to the anxiety.

It's important to remember that we have control over our response to those thoughts. Thoughts are just thoughts. And you can choose to let them consume you or you can do the work of uncovering what is causing the fear behind the thought. You are in control of your own suffering. Much Love, Brie🤍