Bye Bye ‘Anxiety’ … Hello Peace and Tranquillity!

I recently read that Google searches for ‘anxiety’ have doubled in the last eight years. Related searches add words like, ‘attacks’, ‘treatment’, ‘symptoms’, ‘medication’ and ‘disorders’.  If you probe further you find links to ‘high anxiety disorders’ as well as ‘anxiety attacks versus panic attacks’. It seems there is a contest too!

Feelings and sensations labelled as ‘anxiety’ are an internal process and creation. Anxiety is not something lurking outside you, someone else’s fault or genetically inherited. YOU are not ‘anxious’ and already have innate internal resources to feel any way you want.

The above statement is not a particularly popular view in my experience but please stay with me if it struck a negative chord in you. The idea that it is us doing it to us! … that anxiety is a state we create by the way we internally represent something with the meaning we place on it. Yes, I am saying we are responsible for these feelings we call ‘anxiety’ AND I’m also saying we can change it now … if we want to.

The same is true for what is called ‘stress’, ‘anger’, ‘overwhelm’ and so on.  We often want to point to external reasons as the source of these feelings … it’s him or her, excessive workload, bully boss, nightmare neighbours, barking dog and so on. It seems this way but the cause is never outside of us. The feelings are successfully produced inside, and we have the power to change them to something that feels a whole better … any time we want.

We don’t really have accurate words to describe emotions. These words are just pointers and indicators. What we call ‘stress’ and ‘anger’ can be experienced by different people in different ways. I mentioned in a recent blog post there are really only three feelings that go by lots of different names and labels …

As human beings we can only feel what can best be described as,  ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘neutral.’  That’s it! We can only feel one at a time. We cannot feel good and bad at the same time any more than put our arm up and down simultaneously.

With this understanding, if someone tells me, “I am anxious”… I ask “how do you know?” and point out this is not their name or who they are. When we say “I am” we are making something part of our identity and focus. I do not assume I know what is going on inside a person because I may be familiar with the word or have first hand experience of it. I also ask if it is okay to release and let go of the associated feelings. I do not assume this either.

The positive message in this is that there is a way to produce any desired feeling using the mighty resources of the human mind and body…

Back in 2004, I had personal experience of being diagnosed as ‘anxious’ by a doctor. I was subsequently prescribed medication and referred for, and attended six appointments with a clinical psychologist. These appointments didn’t really offer any insight or skills, and I often felt worse at the end of the session.  I remember feelings of what I would have labelled desperation, helplessness, hopelessness, depression and added those to my internal mix. I had no resourceful or empowering skills of my own back then as I do now.

Whatever the label, name, diagnosis …

YOU ARE NOT BROKEN
AND THERE IS A NATURAL WAY TO FEEL HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL

 … We successfully produce our feelings and sensations, usually unconsciously and automatically. The key is to release negative, dis-empowering ones and reach for and focus on ones that feel good for you.

We can go anywhere we want in our mind. Internally we don’t differentiate from what is imagined and what is actually being experienced. This is not new information. There have been many long standing trials and studies confirming this, but you don’t need to analyse these to know it in your own experience. I often ask my clients and audiences to think of something that feels joyful or peaceful when they think about it. You can do it right now as you read this. Choose a good feeling memory like when you first held a new born baby, or recall a beautiful place you went on holiday, and other loving or happy experiences. Allow and experience your improved feelings and sensations as you do this. Notice what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell. You can do this at will.

We can also make things up in our mind even if we haven’t actually experienced it. We can change, eliminate or enhance memories from the past as desired. We can also project future experiences and feel it as if it is happening in the present moment. When we visualize, feel, hear, taste, smell good feeling things, it all translates to enhanced health and well-being and improves the functions of the body.

It is not possible to feel good and bad at the same time
and you get to choose and create the feelings you want.

Regularly check in and focus on your feelings and sensations. Make it your dominant intent to feel good assuming this is what you prefer to experience. Do it with your amazing internal resources and with conscious awareness. If you are feeling tension, agitation, fear or whatever word you would use to describe it, just access a better feeling thought. I am a big promoter of conscious breathing, meridian tapping, meditation and daily affirmations and highly recommend you use all of them. These are some of the methods and habits I use that contributed to positively transforming my own life experience.

Give yourself at least a few minutes every day to create good feelings and sensations within your body. This is such a powerful and simple practice. You can do it when you awake first thing in the morning and just before sleep at night.

One of the most resourceful methods and modalities I use personally and in my work is Faster EFT  to release any negative feelings and sensations I create and experience internally. Here is a short introductory video I did if you are not familiar with it. It is not ‘counselling’ and in my experience facilitates profound internal changes .

Short video playlist with stress reduction tips and techniques

Recommended book on affirmations by Louise Hay.

You are a dynamic human being. You can consciously feel the way you prefer to feel using the innate power of your mind and thoughts. Yes, it takes practice, consistency and persistence to make any changes but when you take control and feel the associated benefits, you will like I did discover that is well worth it.

Your questions and comments are welcome. Get in touch if you need more information or support and to arrange a free 15-minute exploratory chat. Meantime create some peace and tranquillity for yourself and those around you.