I hear it repeatedly. Anxiety is hijacking our attention. Even teenagers are struggling with anxiety. It is the black sheep of the mental health conversation. Many feel dismissed by the message that “it’s all in your mind.”

When we are told we are wrong for being anxious, we hide and isolate, which can cause us to feel stuck. Maybe you can relate, or maybe your story is different. The point here is not to fit your anxiety into a box.

Many try to manage anxiety by ignoring it or distracting themselves with activities. To cope with the heightened energy, it can help “burn it off” with movement like walking or running. Others try calming the mind with meditation, which most find challenging. Some resort to self-soothing with food, alcohol, or other substances. Instead of masking and managing, let’s transform our relationship with anxiety instead.

I encourage people to practice awareness and acceptance of what we cannot control. Easier said than done, I know. What we cannot control is exactly what causes anxiety.

Essentially we humans crave certainty; however, we cannot control what happens. We can only choose how we respond to what happens. That’s how we can shift from feeling paralyzed by fear to feeling more confident.

Read the full article here.

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Originally posted on May 22, 2024 at JeanetteBronee.com.