Worry Not And Understand Worrying.
Anxiety is an everyday occurrence, even for the most confident of individuals.
After all, a brave man is not one who has no fear but who overcomes his fear.
That said, aside from the obvious cases where a little bit of anxiety is natural and helps to induce caution, what can we do for those times that hinder our ability to live happy and free life?
Let’s find out!
Anxiety Is Cumulative
What we mean by cumulative is that anxiety rarely comes from one specific thing.
Let’s look at a few hypothetical examples to see what is meant by this:
You want to ask a girl you like out but are feeling anxious and trembling.
Maybe you’re worried she won’t like the way you dress, or your breath smells, or she already has a boyfriend, or she might be having a bad day, and what would otherwise work would fail if you tried today.
Whether it be a job interview, meeting new people, or other anxiety-provoking situations, there are many factors contributing to the overwhelming feeling of anxiety.
One of these factors happens to be something we all experience on statistically an unhealthily frequent basis - stress.
Like anxiety, stress is a normal response in certain types of situations.
Evolutionarily, a level of high alertness, or fight or flight as it is commonly known, makes sense when you’re being chased by a bear or lion out in the wild.
But as reasonable as it can be, this type of stress over prolonged periods of time and especially in a mismatched situation like, say, in an office or on a date, can really weaken and generally wreck the body and mind.
So, What’s The Solution?
Anxiety comes from unexpected potential negative events in our lives, as well as a lack of confidence in one’s abilities to respond to them.
The general solution comes in the form of two answers then.
The first one is to account for the unpredictability and plan out as much as we can.
Obviously, we can’t predict the future, but just like you move a mountain by carrying the stones first, little habits can lead to sustainable changes over time.
Creating a fluid but still clear schedule helps to create quantifiable, measurable progress and avoids finding yourself in a situation with a restrictive and exhausting plan for the day from morning to sunset.
The second major factor is confidence, whether it be our looks, charms, competency, or whatever.
A very sad but true fact is that victims of harassment throughout childhood will experience very crushing blows to their confidence.
You can be loved and admired, but sometimes that may never seem enough, especially if you’ve engrained this idea in your mind that you’re never good enough.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that although it may be hard, it’s certainly not impossible.
Working out, fostering a relationship with people who support you and not demean you, and focusing more on one’s skills are all great and proven ways to build actual and not inflated confidence in yourself.
There can be crashes and relapses that make us think it’s all going nowhere, but that’s completely normal.
Progress is slow but certain - “two steps forward, one step back,” as they say.
And of course, if anxiety is above a certain level, including, but not limited to panic attacks, one should contact a psychological professional, although this should be reserved for very dire situations.
Final Thoughts
So, what can we do to ease anxiety and improve our mental health? The answer is not unified, but there are some general tips that may be helpful for many people.
First, it’s important to identify and understand your personal triggers for anxiety.
Once you know what sets off your anxious reaction, you can start developing strategies to deal with those triggers.
Second, make time for self-care. This may include practices like meditation, journaling, or exercise.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. Friends, family members, and professionals can all provide support in different ways.
We hope this article has provided some useful information on anxiety and its relief.
If you have any questions or would like more advice specific to your situation, please feel free to reach out!