Befriending Anxiety
Anxiety is rampant in our culture. Many people with anxiety, list symptoms which include but are not limited to shortness of breath, pressure in the chest, sweaty palms, and a rapid heart beat. Some are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder while others have a milder form of anxiety which is due to situation and/or circumstance and does not need to be treated with medicine. However, both of these experiences come in part because we want certainty and security in a world which ultimately offers neither. It occurred to me that in both cases maybe we should explore the possibility of befriending our anxiety. What would happen if we were curious when our anxiety symptoms appeared? What might we learn about ourselves? What could anxiety teach us about our boundaries and self care? I did a bit of research around the subject of befriending anxiety and found an article that explores this practice.https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/how-to-befriend-anxiety-by-jeff-foster#Check it out if you have a moment or just google “befriending anxiety”. Please note this technique is by no means a cure all for those that struggle with debilitating anxiety. It may prove to be helpful to some but not for others.