If you are human and have a pulse, I’m pretty sure you have experienced anxiety. We all know the symptoms: quickened pulse, dry mouth, clammy hands, shallow breathing. I can always tell when my anxiety is high as I will get a tingly feeling that radiates throughout my body.
I dealt with this feeling previously by taking action, usually to excess: shopping, drinking, exercising, gossiping.
What I realize now is that those actions were a way of avoiding the anxiety and the feelings it produces. I was trying to deny that the anxiety existed and that it had any effect on me. By doing this, I was lying to myself, making the anxiety worse, and creating a cycle of negativity. I was ignoring my family and making decisions with consequences that hurt myself and the people I love. So, I finally made the decision to break the cycle.
What creates anxiety for most of us is not being present. When we are worrying about the effects of something we did earlier in the day or fretting about the list of things we didn’t complete today, we are not present. We are living in the past or the future. Living in these gaps of time is what creates anxiety. Now that I am aware of this, I have created a best practice around taming my anxiety so that it now works for me. I use many of the techniques recommended by one of my favorite authors, Deepak Chopra. I get still, concentrate on my breathing, and a take a gratitude break. Getting still allows me to acknowledge that the anxiety is there. Consciously breathing deeply and slowly and concentrating only on the path of my breath is how the anxiety begins to dissipate. Doing this has a positive effect on our largest nerve, the sciatic nerve, which aids in lowering anxiety.
The final piece of my anxiety management practice includes taking a gratitude break. The length of this break will vary, depending on the level of my anxiety. It includes reflecting on everything I am grateful for, whether it is having good health or a spouse who loves me. Since a negative and positive thought cannot both occupy our brain at one time, filling our head with thoughts of gratitude pushes the anxious thoughts out and breaks the negative cycle.
Once we have tamed the anxiety using our best practice techniques, we can take on the world. In the words of Deepak, “The unfathomable nature of the ever-changing world ceases to be a source of anxiety and instead is a source of joy and adventure.” So I urge you to acknowledge your anxiety, create your best practice, and find your joy.
Charlie Miller is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and master basketball trainer. He has owned his business, ATTACK Basketball Academy for 7 years and is passionate about mentoring the youth of today. You can contact him by email at charlie@attackbball.com.
