Feeling more, sensing more, thinking more, knowing more.
Extremely sensitive to sounds, smells, tastes, colors, touch, emotions, weather, food, chemicals, energy, bad news, criticism, the invisible world and beauty.
A mind that moves at warp speed, seeks meaning, analyzes the hell out of everything, wonders, generates gazillions of ideas, and watches itself watching itself.
A heart that weeps at the cruelty humans inflict on one another and on the planet.
A soul that yearns for knowledge, understanding and Love.
And you wonder why you’re anxious?
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OK then.
Let’s get practical.
Your anxiety may manifest in many ways.
You want to strangle your neighbor who uses her leaf blower to clear the dust off of her driveway every morning. The chaos at birthday parties leaves you and your child shrieking. Your very active, creative mind imagines unending catastrophes. You can’t stop ruminating about the sad story you just heard on NPR. You have migraines, allergies or insomnia.
What can you do?
Becoming un-g-g-gifted is not an option.
1. Make a list of self-soothing activities and do them. What calms you down? Classical music? Herbal tea? A walk in the woods? Make a long list. Did I mention that you need to do them?
2. At public events: Leave early. Move chairs so you aren’t right up next to someone. Breathe deeply and imagine peoples’ undesirable energy moving through you and out your feet into the ground. Let the earth transform it.
3. As suggested by Jade Rivera, in her blog post on gifted children, move your body. When worried, we tend to freeze. That only increases the anxiety. Try moving. Walk, dance, shake, exercise, sing.
4. If you grew up in a seriously dysfunctional family, get psychotherapy. Events in your present life can trigger PTSD symptoms where you’re unconsciously re-experiencing trauma. Feeling anxiety that makes no sense. Therapy can help you identify the triggers and learn ways to cope and to heal.
5. For lots of specific techniques, read The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Bourne, recommended by author and blogger, Pamela Price.
6. Start that meditation practice that you say you’re going to start. Learn how to connect with your inner wisdom.
7. Keep a journal and write dialogues with your anxiety. Visualize the anxiety as a person and be curious. Ask why it continues to hang around. You may be surprised by the answers.
8. Be aware of any food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, or sleep deprivation. Naturopathy, acupuncture, massage or energy work can be helpful.
9. If you’re a parent, don’t take your child’s meltdowns personally. Take time away from the kids.
10. Find your sense of humor. If you’re alone in your car, scream obscenities at passing drivers. Avoid eye contact.
11. Don’t do yoga in traffic.
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To my blogEEs: Are there ways that you calm your anxiety that you can share with us? Are there questions you have that I can address in a future post? Thank you, as always, for reading.
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