Dear Anxiety, Let’s Be Friends.
Anxiety can be scary and frustrating. It can make you feel like something is wrong when nothing is wrong. Anxiety can be caused by stress but sometimes it can come from nowhere. I have come to realize that anxiety is something that is always going to be there and it is important to learn to be friends with your anxiety, which at first will not be easy.
Anxiety is part of our human instinct. It helps to motivate us, to protect us and warns us if something is truly wrong. Anxiety is going to be part of you whether you want to or not. The truth is that there is no way to get rid of or stop anxiety. Anxiety is something that you can reduce or keep it at bay, but you cannot completely eliminate it or stop it.
Anxiety is the waves of the ocean. It is going to come and go. You are going to be friends with your anxiety and then it will come back again. Then you find peace again and the cycle starts all over again. Anxiety can be your friend with the understanding that it is going to be part of riding the waves of life.
How do you make anxiety your friend? Below are 5 Tips on how to make your anxiety your friend.
5 ways to accept your anxiety into your life.
- Move towards your anxiety. Feel your anxiety and don’t run from it Learn to sit with feeling uncomfortable and know nothing is going to happen. Feelings are just feelings and thoughts are just thoughts. They can’t truly harm you but they are uncomfortable
- Name the anxiety. Give it a name and talk to your anxiety.
- Let go of the shame of having anxiety. Your anxiety can be part of your strengths. Having anxiety makes you more compassionate towards others.
- Practice Positive self-talk. Have a to-go-to list of affirmations (e.g. “I got through this before”, my anxiety is my friend and not my enemy” or “I am stronger than I think”.
- Use it as a sign that you have to take care of yourself and see if you are making time for self-care.
