We throw around terms like fear and anxiety all of the time
Then everyone nods their head in agreement about what the terms mean
We’re usually nodding to a certain set of characteristics
A mood or mental disorder
A chemical imbalance
A result of trauma
etc.
But what if we consider a new definition?
What if the condition of “anxiety” means one thing and one thing only about a person
It means that the person habitually runs away from the feeling of fear
But no! People who have “anxiety” are different! The feelings are stronger and more frequent
And what about PANIC ATTACKS?
And to that I would say
Have you heard that little saying “What you resist persists”?
What if by trying to avoid a specific experience, we inevitably look for it everywhere?
Then when it appears, we fixate all of our attention on it as if we’re using a high-powered magnifying glass so that every twinge, every shake, every tingle is experienced with the highest possible intensity
If you typically include anxiety as a component in the description of your life experience, you might consider this question:
When do you start running away from the feeling of fear?
Were you trained as a child to avoid uncomfortable feelings at all cost?
Or that you weren't strong enough to handle discomfort or adversity?
Did you learn that there is a big scary God watching over you that demands that you trust him fully if you REALLY love him?
Did someone teach you that fear makes you a weak person or that it will prevent you from living a good life?
Or on the flip side, were you raised by caregivers who only gave you love and attention when you were “anxious” or lost in mental struggles?
It’s good to ask these questions
To see where the pattern began and why you’ve been running in circles ever since
Once you really see what’s going on
You can stop running
Finally
Photo by Josh Gordon on Unsplash
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