Why do I get anxious?
The other day on my community site, I received a GREAT question:“Why do I get anxious when I’m waiting for something? How do I manage this anticipation?”
I wanted to share the answer here, since anxiety is such a common symptom and has such a detrimental affect on the body.
In fact, 85% of chronic illnesses have an emotional component, meaning that the cellular disease in the body is created by the underlying fear, anger or other emotions.
Here’s my answer:
Anxiety arises whenever our focus of attention is in the future, and we are imagining (or anticipating which is really the same thing) a negative result.
(Alternatively, guilt, sadness and anger arise when our attention is focused in the past: what we wish we didn’t do…what bad thing was done to us…or what we have lost.)
One way to release anxiety or address any of these harmful emotional states is to get into your body!!
The body ONLY lives in the NOW, so connecting with your physical body immediately pops you out of future focus and into the present (where everything feels different.)
Instead of fearing an imagined outcome –one that hasn’t even happened, and thus, is not “real,” you deal with what is really going on NOW….in reality.
Here’s a way to do it:
- Breathe into your body and feel your breath. This is the fastest way to get present in any moment. The more you practice, the better you become at immediately releasing a bad mood and boosting healing in your body.
- FEEL the anxiety (or anger, etc.) Where is it located in your body? What size is it? Does it have texture? Color?
Communicate these just like you were talking to an interested friend.
- Bring your attention to the feeling.
Become familiar with the actual feeling, instead of the result of the feeling. Just this alone usually changes it.
- Then, move it up your body.
Just see it moving even an inch upwards in your body…and see if that makes it all change or even go away completely.
I can’t wait to hear how this goes for you, so try it right now and let me know!!
Usually this works VERY fast!
Be well!
-Dr.Kim
Reminds me of the power of Zen often times I remind myself and others to “be with” changing our focus onto what we can control often times minimizes our stress
Yes! we are so powerful, when we choose our focus!
So inspiring! Great advice Dr. Kim
Thanks so much, Maria!
Last night I became aware of my body and all the pain and emotions and just went with them and loved myself for all the sadness and loss that has happened to me in the last ten years and kept saying….that’s ok, that’s ok
Anyone would feel the same way, don’t be so hard on yourself. Then I kept loving myself until I fell asleep.
Today I feel really good and wanted to share with you my experience. Linda
AWESOME!!!!!! That is GREAT to hear. One more person in the world letting love run through this body. At this rate, we’ll light up the whole world:)
Good for you. Please let me know what I can do to support you, what your greatest challenges are and what you are most in need of.
Blessings!
-Dr. Kim