Sometimes I find myself constricted with anxiety or worry. I am transported into some alternate reality as my mind races with anxious thoughts. My body responds with the tension of stress and fear. How strange this is and how unsettling this feels. Gaining conscious awareness of my worry, I realize that this state of being contains no trust within myself. It’s a one-sided view of how things could turn out.
I’ll ask myself what I need to do to feel calm right now. Taking a deep breath I become even more aware of my fears and emotions. Coming back into my body, the fear within is consciously palpable. Resisting the urge to flee these feelings, I take another deep breath. I look out the window and take in the sky and trees and whatever birds or bugs are flying by. I release into a sigh, and another deep breath.
Anxious thoughts lessen in intensity and for a few moments there is only feeling. There is room now for the emotions to pass through. This may be as far as I can go. Inner peace is not complete, but there is a feeling of increased calmness and trust in myself. Sometimes the emotions break loose and I allow myself to let go with tears or some other form or expression. When that happens, it’s like an emotional storm has just blown through me, and is passing by on its way to somewhere else. One conscious breath at a time I make it through my day.
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When I feel stressed out with work, I just stop and think of the reasons why I needed to work that hard. And then, I start working again.
Hi Caitlin! That’s a great perspective. Taking a time out from the stress, taking a few slow deep breaths, and refocusing on the original goal or dream can help us regain perspective. Once we remember our core reason, we can refocus, re-energize and start working again.
Let go and let God! A punching bag comes in handy sometimes.