Is anyone else embracing their anxiety?
I have had lifelong anxiety. Some of it was for good reason when I was a younger. it became debilitating after college when I had a relatively easy job that should have been low stress. In addition to pharmaceuticals which I stopped taking relatively quickly, I went through group cognitive behavioral therapy to teach me to change my way of thinking and learn relaxation techniques. I was less debilitated, but still was more stressed than normal. Getting a more stressful job and becoming a parent helped me become braver. I eventually left that job as my anxiety was making me consider treatment again.
I got another job, which was lower stress and was pregnant again. In the meantime, I read a book from the library, which I cannot remember the title, about the science of anxiety and why it is actually harmful to suppress it. I also worked with someone else who has severe anxiety and although medicated, also deals with it everyday. She is a very good supervisor in spite or maybe because of this. Then I went into labor with my younger child. I didn't have an epidural, although I unfortunately let them talk to me into a narcotic, when my contractions were the worst. With my first child, I begged for an epidural earlier in labor despite not wanting to have one. Anyway, it occurred to me that the difference was that I was working with my contractions this time instead of against them.
After my brief maternity leave, there were changes in the company and I was promoted. With this and other changes, my anxiety has increased, but I am embracing it. I am using it to get things done. If I feel stressed about something, I take action. I go into some situations feeling anxiety, but I do it anyway instead of avoiding it like I did before. Maybe, I have anxiety that I can continue like this, but I think that this could be completely life changing.
Does anyone else do this? Does this work for you?
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of allowing your mind to control your emotions, the negatives ones at least. You are to be congratulated. That is a life changing skill.
