The Difference Between Anxiety and Healthy Worry

This was my first and only anxiety attack, thank God, but for a lot of people the slightest, most unrelated topic can send them on a tidal wave of worry and anxiety. Now it's healthy to think while driving home, "I have presentation next Friday, I should start working on it Monday." What isn't healthy is having that thought 5, 10, 15 times. It doesn't do you any good. In the case of me being in class not only was I a tad behind on my physics work, but now I was also behind in English, because I wasn't paying attention. Some people are so paralyzed by anxious thoughts, that they feel overwhelmed when they try to take action against what's causing the anxiety, so they engage in a diversion, like watching T.V. This, of course, makes them more anxious because now they have even less time to do what they were supposed to. In that sense it's a lot like feed back in a sound system.

Now I never like to present problems without a solution, so if you find yourself in this predicament often, let me make a suggestion for you. Start meditating. It's showing incredible promise in the treatment of a variety of anxiety disorders. Even if you don't find yourself having severely anxious thoughts like those described above, I'm certain you've watched Netflix instead of working on a project or cleaning the house. Start trying to move your mind towards the present, because that's all that's really going on. It's okay to remember, but try not to obsess. If you find yourself obsessing over something, call yourself out on it. 

Okay, you might say, but what if something bad actually does happen? Well chances are what ever happened, would have happened whether or not you worried about it. I continue to work with a lot of students, and one of the top issues that resurfaces it test taking anxiety. However, what I am going to say can be used for any type of performance anxiety. How you are going to perform has already been determined by the way you practiced, or the amount you studied. When you sit in that seat, or get ready to deliver that presentation, you will perform as you have practiced. Accepting that will make all the difference in the world. However, if you are worried about your performance, if you're anxious about it,  then that's exactly what will come through. 

Acceptance of what's actually happening, is true performance. That's what it means to be "mindful." Anxiety comes from getting caught up in the details of imaginary situations. Your meditation practice gives you the tools to mentally navigate away from these. If you find yourself feeling anxious, push yourself away from what you're doing, and take a few moments to breathe. There's nothing more important than maintaining your center.