The Secret of Anxiety
The most profound yet simple thing I have learned about anxiety is that it will pass. There are times when I fixate on the anxiety, believing that it means that there is something wrong with me or my life, believing that it means that I will be miserable forever or prevented from living the life I want to live. There are times I try to push it away, times I try to hide from it, believing that the only way I can be happy, the only way I can be okay, is by pretending it isn’t there. But all these things only feed it, only teach me that I need to be afraid. The great secret is that that all I have to do is give it my loving attention, do the best I can to listen to whatever my heart is telling me I need, and wait for it to pass. It is but a temporary emotion, it shows up to tell me something about myself or the world, it will come and it will pass.
Anxiety is a natural part of life. It will bubble up when I try something new or make myself vulnerable, when I take a risk or face a challenge. It will come when I am afraid that some part of me isn’t good enough, isn’t lovable enough. It will come as a sign that something is not right for me, or that I need some time to reflect or care for myself. It will show up again and again as a pit in my stomach or an ache in my chest, as shame or self-doubt, as spinning thoughts or a grasping for something solid. It will be hard when it comes, I will be afraid. Afraid that I won’t be able to manage the next step, afraid I ruined everything, afraid I will lose it all. And that fear will hurt.
But then it will pass. Sometimes in a day, sometimes in a minute, sometimes as soon as I shift my perspective. When I turn towards the anxiety instead of running away from it. When I listen to what I need to hear, when I show up for myself with tenderness and compassion. I have seen it. The clouds will part, reality will stop spinning, the sun will come out, and it will pass. I will believe in myself and life and beauty and joy again. It will not be the end.
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