How to Conquer Your Anxiety

While there are quite a good number of people who can go about life confidently without any doubts or anxiety an equally good number of people find ordinarily commonplace tasks difficult and quite demanding. In fact even the former group of people, who had been confidently going about life, are not safe from the debilitating effects of anxiety. Research and Experience have shown that anxiety can suddenly jump into our lives without notice completely messing everything up.

We can group Anxiety into two: the first, we somehow acquired it from childhood and developed and strengthened it overtime and the second one just comes unannounced. Of the first kind, we have somehow learned to be anxious about certain activities or certain objects. For example a parent may unwittingly teach her child to fear spiders. The parent may not know she is actually doing this but by showing her daughter that it’s okay to fear spiders, the little girl continues in this regard until she has developed an intolerable phobia for spiders. However the parent might rebuke her son should he show nervousness at the sight of this eight-legged animal. Hence while teaching her son courage she is teaching the daughter fear. Secondly, someone may for a variety of reasons develop anxiety all of a sudden: a man may suddenly start getting anxious of his breath although there might be nothing wrong with him.

All anxieties are as a result of information inaccurately processed by the brain. It could be as a result of some small concern inordinately blown out of proportion. Anxieties just don’t come up out of the blues they are as a result of thoughts with which we’ve been obsessed with for a time. The man who fears he has halitosis might have read a very descriptive article concerning the disease and might have started the bad but apparently harmless habit of sniffing his mouth at every opportunity to convince himself that he is OK. Such behaviour ultimately leads to over-concern and gradually but surely the situation goes out of control until he begins to perceive any twitching of the nose to be a reaction against his bad breath.

For those who suffer from anxiety disorders, life can be intolerable. They consciously know that it is stupid and unrealistic but something within the subconscious continues to control their actions. For those who don’t suffer from anxiety it is unimaginable how someone cannot enjoy a delicious meal at the restaurant; how someone cannot ask a question in class but would prefer his friend asked it on his behalf or how a full-grown man could be scared of talking to a woman. If you are suffering from anxiety however, you would understand exactly what I mean and must be desperate for the subsequent paragraphs in which we discuss how one can cure himself or herself of his or her anxiety.

Understand that Anxiety is Killing Your True Potential

You should understand that Anxiety is an enemy and that when left unchecked can stop you from attaining your true potential. Anxiety is something that makes one not to appreciate one’s true worth. It is borne out of doubts which are often not a true reflection of one’s reality. I have heard one man, a university lecturer by the way, say he was ashamed to publish his work! Now I believe such a man to be very intelligent and capable but anxiety is preventing him from achieving his desire of being an author. Anxiety is a stumbling block that stands between you and a happy and fulfilled life. Do away with it.

Get Trustworthy Feedback

Anxiety corrupts our perception of reality. It is dirt that has somehow accumulated on the lenses through which we view life. There truly is nothing to be embarrassed about in eating in public; there is nothing at all wrong with asking a question in class and surely nothing wrong with publishing a book. What to do in the case of anxiety is to open up to someone trustworthy who would be pathetic to your plight. Ask that person what he thinks about this or that concerning you. Find his sincere opinion and you would be surprised that he views you higher than you view yourself!

Get Angry

Some anxieties are so plain stupid that they deserve nothing less than the fire and fury of your indignation. Be very angry – I mean really angry. As you read this I want you to feel anger seethe through your heart. View the anxiety as a human being who is barring the door from you. Scream and barge past him! No longer tolerate it; turn deaf to all the petty excuses it is giving and move on with your life!

Learn Relaxation Techniques

Many students don’t fail exams because they are block-headed but because of anxiety and an inability to find their composure when tackling examination questions. They fret and fumble till the invigilator says it’s time to stop. Learn relaxation techniques. Someone says you should never speak to an audience till you have taken a deep breath. Take a deep breath and feel yourself get calm; tighten your fists and relax them again; move your body; bend your neck to the left and right. In conclusion, nothing beats good old laughter in relaxing frayed nerves!

Stop Being Self-Conscious

Many of us live life as if we are constantly being monitored and watched by others. The reality is that though people do gossip and would often not mind their business they don’t have all the time in the world to be bothered with you. An extremely self-conscious person may regard every harmless glance to be like the stare of an aroused alligator! Remove your mind from people – they are not watching you. Instead you could start generating interest if you seem unduly nervous, fidgety or self-conscious. Forget about the world and live your life.

Watch the Little Children

You wouldn’t really understand how you are harming yourself until you watch the little children or those younger than you dart in and out of those activities that make you anxious. You should wonder how is it that such children with their lesser experience and intellect could succeed where you fail. What is it that the little children have that you do not as well have? Part of it has to do with self-consciousness – something that increases as we grow older – for good or for “evil”. Chastise yourself for being so immature. If the whole world can do it then so can you!

Make that First Move

You would still be where you are if you don’t dare to make that first move. If you do the unpleasant and difficult task today then you won’t be living with it tomorrow. Then tomorrow you would be free and happy! Understand that today is temporary and that anything you do would be history one day, no matter how embarrassing, difficult or exhausting. You would never be prouder of yourself like when you look back at ten years ago and recall how you made that brave, courageous and daring move to take control of your life. It’s a joy beyond imagination and you would not actually understand this until you’ve made that first move. Good luck!