Controlling Anxiety
Are you "anxious?"
Are you an "anxious person?"
Do you "suffer" from "anxiety?"
There is no doubt we have all felt it. Some of us identify as "being anxious".
Before I continue, I need you to do something. If you're identifying with this topic, if you believe you're an "anxious person"...
Think of a time in your life when you weren't anxious.
Think of a time when you're were doing something you're skilled at and feeling at your best, free of anxiety.
ALL of you could make at least one instance for each. Let's start there. This shows that there is an inner ability to be FREE OF ANXIETY. But what is it? What were we tapped into when we were from the anxiety?
Stay with me...
Our anxiety is the result of multiple factors. Below there are four, perhaps there are other factors, but at the very least, these four will provide a blueprint for escaping the stranglehold you feel you're in.
In Jiu-Jitsu, we learn that anything is escapable with the correct technique, knowledge, and timing. Life mirrors this exactly.
We've all uttered this phrase, "I don't know what to do!!!" You can feel that statement. The anxiousness given off by it. What is the key word in there — KNOW. What you KNOW is what you have control over.
FACTOR ONE: A lack of knowledge or information on the subject in present time. Known vs. Unknown Territory.
When you're operating in harmony, free of anxiousness, it is because you are doing exactly what you know how to do. You're full of knowledge in whatever that given subject is. It is known territory.
When you venture into the unknown or you don't know what to do at any moment in time, you will be hit with anxiety.
That lack of information puts you in a weak point where you know you're in danger. A lack of knowledge is a threat to your survival. When anxiety hits, counter it with information and knowledge. "I'm anxious, what am I missing? What don't I know?"
FACTOR TWO: A lack of awareness of ourselves within our environment.
Earlier, I asked you to think of a time when you were free of anxiety. It's interesting to think of moments throughout our day that should make us anxious, but don't. It's interesting to think of the rationality/irrationality of things that make us anxious.
There is a pattern and chain of memories connected to the things that make us anxious.
Lacking awareness of ourselves and what has made us who we are can leave us confused. Confusion is a lack of knowing and what we don't know, makes us anxious.
Our environment, the spaces we occupy and travel through, if not fully known to us, will make us anxious.
Make friends with what you don't know and the spaces we are unfamiliar with. What we don't know is far more important than what we do.
FACTOR THREE: A threat to our survival.
Our existence is based upon on our desire to survive. The actions we take day to day hopefully are leading us to having a greater survival potential. That's not always the case.
When things are thrown at us that threaten this principle of existence, we will experience anxiety or fear.
The solution to this, is to arm yourself with the knowledge that you can't be protected, but you can be prepared. You can build yourself up, but most of us are doing things that are breaking us down.
We can only be effected if give consent to be effected.
FACTOR FOUR: In a moment of weakness and anxiety, we were told we were anxious and we BEcame someone who BElieved we were a BEing that is anxious. We made a decision in that moment that we were.
Every choice you have made in your life, that was truly yours, has undoubtedly been the most powerful choices or decisions you have ever made.
We can probably trace back to the moment we were told we "had anxiety" or looked up what was wrong with us. We webMD'd our symptoms and anxiety seemed to fit. We took this on. Of course it made sense in a moment of turmoil that we "had a disorder". It's much easier and it's an answer, that while might not be true, certainly in that moment, helps us make sense of the suffering.
But whatever turned that anxiety on, will also turn it off. Armed with more knowledge of the world, who we are and what makes us tick, will level up our ability to have more control of our lives and not experience the unsettling feelings of anxiety.
"TO BE OR NOT TO BE, that is the question..." a truer statement has never been spoken. What do you want to be? What do you want to not be?
Much of what we think we are, we have decided we are. Just like you may have a trait you love that makes you you. You decided at some point, that was you. It wasn't just something arbitrary or random. You chose to accept and to be that trait.
You do not have to be anxious. There is a way out.
We can BE anything we decide upon. Your ability to Not Be Anxious starts with the decision to BE someone who is in control.
Are you an "anxious person?"
Do you "suffer" from "anxiety?"
There is no doubt we have all felt it. Some of us identify as "being anxious".
Before I continue, I need you to do something. If you're identifying with this topic, if you believe you're an "anxious person"...
Think of a time in your life when you weren't anxious.
Think of a time when you're were doing something you're skilled at and feeling at your best, free of anxiety.
ALL of you could make at least one instance for each. Let's start there. This shows that there is an inner ability to be FREE OF ANXIETY. But what is it? What were we tapped into when we were from the anxiety?
Stay with me...
Our anxiety is the result of multiple factors. Below there are four, perhaps there are other factors, but at the very least, these four will provide a blueprint for escaping the stranglehold you feel you're in.
In Jiu-Jitsu, we learn that anything is escapable with the correct technique, knowledge, and timing. Life mirrors this exactly.
We've all uttered this phrase, "I don't know what to do!!!" You can feel that statement. The anxiousness given off by it. What is the key word in there — KNOW. What you KNOW is what you have control over.
FACTOR ONE: A lack of knowledge or information on the subject in present time. Known vs. Unknown Territory.
When you're operating in harmony, free of anxiousness, it is because you are doing exactly what you know how to do. You're full of knowledge in whatever that given subject is. It is known territory.
When you venture into the unknown or you don't know what to do at any moment in time, you will be hit with anxiety.
That lack of information puts you in a weak point where you know you're in danger. A lack of knowledge is a threat to your survival. When anxiety hits, counter it with information and knowledge. "I'm anxious, what am I missing? What don't I know?"
FACTOR TWO: A lack of awareness of ourselves within our environment.
Earlier, I asked you to think of a time when you were free of anxiety. It's interesting to think of moments throughout our day that should make us anxious, but don't. It's interesting to think of the rationality/irrationality of things that make us anxious.
There is a pattern and chain of memories connected to the things that make us anxious.
Lacking awareness of ourselves and what has made us who we are can leave us confused. Confusion is a lack of knowing and what we don't know, makes us anxious.
Our environment, the spaces we occupy and travel through, if not fully known to us, will make us anxious.
Make friends with what you don't know and the spaces we are unfamiliar with. What we don't know is far more important than what we do.
FACTOR THREE: A threat to our survival.
Our existence is based upon on our desire to survive. The actions we take day to day hopefully are leading us to having a greater survival potential. That's not always the case.
When things are thrown at us that threaten this principle of existence, we will experience anxiety or fear.
The solution to this, is to arm yourself with the knowledge that you can't be protected, but you can be prepared. You can build yourself up, but most of us are doing things that are breaking us down.
We can only be effected if give consent to be effected.
FACTOR FOUR: In a moment of weakness and anxiety, we were told we were anxious and we BEcame someone who BElieved we were a BEing that is anxious. We made a decision in that moment that we were.
Every choice you have made in your life, that was truly yours, has undoubtedly been the most powerful choices or decisions you have ever made.
We can probably trace back to the moment we were told we "had anxiety" or looked up what was wrong with us. We webMD'd our symptoms and anxiety seemed to fit. We took this on. Of course it made sense in a moment of turmoil that we "had a disorder". It's much easier and it's an answer, that while might not be true, certainly in that moment, helps us make sense of the suffering.
But whatever turned that anxiety on, will also turn it off. Armed with more knowledge of the world, who we are and what makes us tick, will level up our ability to have more control of our lives and not experience the unsettling feelings of anxiety.
"TO BE OR NOT TO BE, that is the question..." a truer statement has never been spoken. What do you want to be? What do you want to not be?
Much of what we think we are, we have decided we are. Just like you may have a trait you love that makes you you. You decided at some point, that was you. It wasn't just something arbitrary or random. You chose to accept and to be that trait.
You do not have to be anxious. There is a way out.
We can BE anything we decide upon. Your ability to Not Be Anxious starts with the decision to BE someone who is in control.