Imagine you could reach into yourself through the (invisible) hole at the top of your head and pluck out the part of you that has the most anxiety. Your thumb and forefinger are pincering the jacket of a miniature person who, dangling in the air in front of your nose, is throwing punches and swearing at this indignity. Drop that being into a well padded jar with air holes in the cover, and let’s get back to you.
How would you feel, if you could do that? Kick back in your chair and imagine what that would be like. You would still have whatever crisis is currently ongoing. You would still have whatever horrendous events you survived in the past. You would still have your gigantic nose and the tooth that sticks out like a prong whenever you smile (so you don’t, if you can help it.) But you would not have anxiety.
How would you feel, if you could do that? Kick back in your chair and imagine what that would be like. You would still have whatever crisis is currently ongoing. You would still have whatever horrendous events you survived in the past. You would still have your gigantic nose and the tooth that sticks out like a prong whenever you smile (so you don’t, if you can help it.) But you would not have anxiety.
Perhaps you could then say, this is a crisis and I better figure out what I need in order to manage or get through it. You would martial your reserves, and carefully tread the path as it opens before you. Tormented by past abuse? You might say, yes, I was abused as a child. But I realize that was not about ME! It was totally about the person who did that—their agenda, their false beliefs. Not about me! And you’d allow your bitten fingernails to grow. Concerned about your features? You might look in the mirror and think, I never saw a small nose on the profile of a Roman coin! I’m kind of proud of this big, beautiful honker. And you might notice that your smile is so bold, lovely, shining, goofy, warm and /or generous that: who cares about a tooth?!?
Even people who are overwhelmed by terrible, real-life situations can manage better when anxiety is in the jar. If you were falsely accused and in jail, and personally I can’t imagine much worse, YES you would be quite anxious in myriad specific situations. But obviously, if you were not plagued with constant anxiety, the entire experience improves. Miraculously, there would be opportunities to learn all sorts of stuff about your own resilience, and your fellow humans. Use Visualizations, Activities and Body Cues to quell anxiety, and know that there is no limit to the circumstances that can be improved! All blessings to you.
Even people who are overwhelmed by terrible, real-life situations can manage better when anxiety is in the jar. If you were falsely accused and in jail, and personally I can’t imagine much worse, YES you would be quite anxious in myriad specific situations. But obviously, if you were not plagued with constant anxiety, the entire experience improves. Miraculously, there would be opportunities to learn all sorts of stuff about your own resilience, and your fellow humans. Use Visualizations, Activities and Body Cues to quell anxiety, and know that there is no limit to the circumstances that can be improved! All blessings to you.
