Accepting Anxiety

If you really want to effectively manage your anxiety, the key is to ACCEPT it. This might sound counter-intuitive. But anxiety, “in and of itself,” isn't the real problem. Instead, it’s our attempts at controlling and eliminating it. Not accepting these unwanted inner experiences is the actual source of so much of our self-induced suffering. Accepting anxiety doesn't mean resigning ourselves to a life of anxious misery. It simply means that we are better off recognizing and fully accepting the existence of anxiety and other uncomfortable emotional states that are inevitable, but transitory. Don't get caught up in analysis-paralysis. So if you experience anxiety today, simply observe it. Think of it like a wave of the ocean; allow it to come in, experience it, and ride it out. Anxiety can feel overwhelming. It can feel like chains around your feet, weighing you down. But by taking small steps – like the ones above – you can minimize your anxiety and cope effectively.