There are a number of reasons why someone would be living in a state of anxiety. I also believe there are different types and flavours of anxiety as well.
It can come in the form of the body — head spinning, shortness of breath, foggy brain, tight chest.
It can come in the form of an emotional state — negative thinking, scattered energy, difficulty concentrating, unable to do things that you want to do because of the stream of thoughts telling you that you should be doing x, y and z instead.
Never present.
I also believe there is more than one root cause and it can be a combination of more than one.
Sometimes it is just the trauma from being in a state of anxiety for so long, that even on the days where you do sense there is space to create or do something good for yourself, you are afraid of it creeping in, or not being strong enough to keep it out.
There are a few things that need to happen. Like with developing any habit or goal, consistency and willingness to get back up when you fall are key.
- Forgive yourself — Remember, you are capable of living more consistently in states of confidence, love, peace, etc… Humans have been striving for centuries to do so and have developed many methods and ways of thinking to get you there. The block to using these tools effectively could be holding yourself in a bubble of shame. That you f*cked up again. You did not wake up on time, you should have went for your jog but opted to stay home and rest instead, which was probably not what you actually needed. You got distracted from having your moment and being in your state of flow that you long to be in. You need to realize It is OKAY that you “messed up”, again. That you let yourself fight with yourself. You honestly did the best you could with what resources you had at the time. Forgiveness looks like a letting go of plans and expectations — that today was not yours to control for reasons you may not be aware of and still loving yourself all the same.
- Express the pent up emotion if you need to — We can become frustrated when we are stuck in our anxiety. It builds and builds on top of itself. Try to give yourself the permission to express this frustration if you need to. It is okay to break down, and to have your moment with it (especially after you feel as if you have tried everything). Carrying that energy around trying to distract yourself out of it can only go on for so long. Once you release this pent up energy, you may find yourself in a clearer landing space.
- In the morning, put on a favourite podcast or inspiring music — If you wake up in a state of anxiety, try not to let the thoughts go on for too long and set the tone of your day. This is especially helpful if you wake up to responsibilities that don’t excite you out of bed in the morning. Having on a podcast or inspiring music (I love meditation music/chimes you may find on YouTube) is almost like having a friend with you while you tend to what you need to do, and invites a different energy into the space. Taking in content and ideas that are in alignment with a goal you want to achieve or aspect of yourself you want to work through is also very helpful to do in the morning time.
- Be present, even if for just a few minutes at a time. Do a thought experiment — pretend you do not have a past. Pretend your future is just wide open. Suspend yourself in the present moment. What does it feel like to just exist? This can be helpful to do, even if just for 10–30 seconds at a time.
- Look forward to something — what would you want to do if there were no obstacles? Can you take a tiny step in that direction? Are you excited about a hobby or a project in your home? A trip you might be taking? You do not need to do this all in one day. Go to the bookstore and buy a travel book, or look online at design ideas you plan on manifesting one day. Focusing on our desires can lead us to our current purpose which is very grounding.
- Remember who you are when you feel your best and most aligned — You may feel right now that this state is “you”. Remember that it is not. There is a version of you waiting on the other side of whatever process you need to go through here. Your brain and body are having a reaction to something in your life. This may be happening so often you feel that it is your life, but often the greatest struggles we go through can guide us toward something meant for us that we may not have thought of before. Trust your journey through these states, and your desire to bring more love and stability into your waking moments.
These are a few ideas to begin to slow down the momentum of anxiety. There are many ways to look at it and to work with it. Try different approaches and eventually that momentum will lead to a system of regulation you can return to again whenever you may need it. ❤
