Mama’s Best Advice: Words of Wisdom Digest

Anxiety

Whether the source

is awaiting success, sadness, or what’s in between, anxiety can be painful.

Acceptance of extremes has become as normalized as mass shootings, housing prices, tornados, COVID, and gas prices. But, some things are especially emotionally toiling and when those things compile, my emotional response – anxiety – can take my breath away. 

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By Wandra Felecia Najat Chenault Mama(cita)SezWisdom  

Anxiety is part of man’s emotional danger-zone system alert  

Some anxiety Is helpful, it is the body’s way to remind us to put the Sunday dinner on early because we’re having extra guests, jump out of bed early because we have a special meeting, or put in those hours to study for that career-changing exam. 

So, anxiety is normal,  it’s one of human’s most basic and natural emotions. It serves to drive us but, it can also paralyze us.  Anxiety can emerge and warn us of emotional danger as when our emotional foundation feels threatened and we’re feeling like we’re losing footing, feeling strong emotional turbulence, feeling as if we’re losing our altitude or our boat is capsizing and we’re taking on water. 

So, yes, anxiety serves a great purpose as it alerts us on our emotional  balance:

But, frequent anxiety is unhealthy, both physically and mentally.  It can put us  at risk for illness because the mind and the body are intertwined in controlling the immune system. 

Attempting to ignore emotions, or problems 

Trying to ignore things, to not let anyone know by dismissing negative emotions or problems won’t make anxiety go away. In fact, like powerful sitting storms gaining strength, so do those undiscussed and unacknowledged issues-partly the reason anxiety intensifies.  

Anxiety can have the mind racing off, filled with ideas and concerns that can have a prediction but no resolution— in the present. And the interim of waiting in the absence of not knowing can seem overwhelming and overbearing.  In that way, anxiety interferes with the appreciation of the present. 

For some people, anxiety can be mildly uncomfortable and for others, extremely uncomfortable. It can interfere with concentration; it can be a distraction. It can become a distraction and the focus. Anxiety can lay the foundation for extreme and harmful behavioral, psychological and physical symptoms 

Usually, if we can solve an issue immediately- there is virtually no anxiety. Going to the mailbox can bring anxiety but after opening the envelope the anxiety may be gone. On an emotional level, acceptance may help to mitigate anxiety. 

The 18th century poet, Rumi articulated this well in his poetry

The things or the source of what can take my breath away are varied — from day to day, or time to time — but  the power in that moment, for any of them,  pull secretly at my inner peace and can take my breath away

Anxiety probably can’t be totally prevented and it can be a source of motivation  – to deal with those things in the back of your mind. It works along with our brain and body’s natural alert system. But when anxiety is chronic and uncontrolled, it no longer serves its purpose. 

Anxiety can get in the way of allowing us to enjoy the moment. By wanting to move toward the resolution,  the answer, or the solution, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to explore the suspense, to appreciate the gap between being sure and unsure and we can experience feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy, and insecurity, fear or even anger.  Those feelings can be uncomfortable to sit with. 

Rumi (18th century) explains that by allowing what you want to flow toward you,  the idea of anxiety,  feeling negative,  can be diminished by dismissing the idea that you have the ability to alone, make things happen. . And,  acknowledging the issue rather than suppressing or ignoring it —which reinforces that you don’t have the power to make it happen, alone. 

Life can be like watching a movie, you want to know what happens, the suspense can be gut-wrenching. Anxiety helps us look forward to what is ahead but balance helps us in accepting the present as we wait so that we can enjoy the journey. So, although we will all go through periods of anxiety, we can work on on the emotional and physical discomfort with strategies. Emotionally, some acceptance along with other activities help us stay balanced in the ps on Reducing Anxiety. 

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I think dealing with and mitigating anxiety can bring more clarity, more clarity helps us better define and direct our lives.  our passions,  hopes, and visions for our future. That being said, I’m going to share with you some items to look over and decide what works for your lifestyle in an effort to reduce anxiety and control your stress level.

In a fast-paced ever-growing virtual world, increased anxiety and depression are more common, particularly during the pandemic. There are medications to treat the uncomfortable symptoms and help us feel better more quickly but, there are some alternative methods. 

One is to reduce stress and increase peace and harmony within yourself. Peace and harmony include having a sense that you are prepared to weather the storm,  be it snow, rain or hail- knowing that if you haven’t experienced something before despite your inexperience you will acquire the skill. That also means that you will hold onto hope – If you watched the Titanic,  it’s the strength and hope that Rose had,  to hold on.  

Journaling can help you identify your stressors, sources of anxiety or depression as well as help you expel negative energy.

Tips on Getting Balance and Reducing Anxities

Below is a list of other ideas and strategies to reduce stress and anxiety.

*Stress reduction, like  massages 

*Relaxation:   techniques may include deep breathing, art, music, and aromatherapy.

*Meditation:  a practice where an individual uses a technique such as focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to achieve a high, mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state.

*Guided Visualization 

*Exercise like Tai chi.,  yoga, running, and walking

*Biofeedback. 

*Music and art therapy

*Acupuncture by a licensed professional

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Mama(cita)SezWisdom™.

Mama’s Best Advice: Words of Wisdom ©

Atlanta, Georgia 

For information on mental health or treatment, you can contact the resources listed below

1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or helpline@nami.org

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454

Disclaimer

This blog is not intended for purposes of diagnosis or treatment, it is solely for informational and entertainment purposes. The ideas presented are that of the author.