ANXIETY--FEAR
The range of emotions that play on this playground are many! And they often do not ask for permission to "join" the party!
Some are needed and welcome, others are violators to some of your most sacred values and needs.
Some can and will give you protection from intruders and keep you out of harms way! They will remind you to lock the doors at night, and stay out of dark alleys. They will tell you not to touch a hot stove, and to drive slower when the road is icy.
As you can see, it would be difficult to survive with out the "safety" net that is provided.
THEN there are the unwanted ones. These are the ones that keep you from standing up for your self, keep you from "going" after what you want, keep you from asking for that promotion that you have earned and deserve.
And keep you from approaching that interesting person you would like to meet, and on the flip of that, to allow yourself to be "abused" for fear of the consequence of standing up for yourself.
And what about staying in a bad relationship for fear of not "being good enough to be deserving of a better one.
Then there is the fear of failure, of not being "perfect" enough in the eye of others. And speaking in front of a group of your peers? Making a presentation to the board of directors? Knowing you job might be on the line if things don't go well!
Lets not leave out the fear of rejection of important other people. Especially when your self-esteem and/or ego is on the line!
Are you aware that anxiety is in many ways a blessing ? It wards off dangers, preserves life, and makes you aware of negative things that you can change -- when it is healthy anxiety, that is, involving feelings of concern, caution, and vigilance. Unhealthy anxiety is quite different. It leads to paralyzing panic, obsessive worry, and phobias that prevent you from doing things that you conceive of as dangerous but really are not. Unhealthy anxiety inhibits you from enjoying everyday activities and relationships and makes you see them as too risky. It causes you to perform poorly, preoccupies you wastefully, and stops your creativity.
Fortunately by adhering to the program that has been developed to address this issue , you can control your anxiety before it controls you. You can stop it in it's tracks, if you allow yourself to admit an important fact: Things and people alone do not make you anxious. You do. Your unrealistic expectations produce your needless anxiety.
Send email to stressbusters@charter.net with questions or comments about the programs we offer.