Self-Defense Against Adversity

Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it. – Kahlil Gibran

Many of us suffer from various forms of anxiety. These tremors in our heart-minds originate in suffering whether from real memories or imagined scenarios. The shadows stalk our everyday lives and chase us in our dreams. In a sense, by worrying about what didn’t happen – we are remembering what wasn’t. This is our imagination playing dirty tricks on us. These imagined specters constrict and restrict our lives. But how can we shadowbox anxiety?

To lessen our suffering, we can must understand the fact that – everything we are, all that we do, is what humans do. We do not have to struggle on alone. There are oceans of help available. Each positive message and article of hope generates a positive wave upon our vast common humanity. Although you may never meet any of the people whose words encourage or inspire you, those words were written for you. They are there to aid you in your self-defense against adversity. You do not have to fight on alone.

When asked how to change ones life, a guru said simply – You, have to do something. He did not say to try to do something. Trying means to make an attempt. Learn from those attempts. Turn the experiences over in your mind. Setbacks in life create fertile ground for future success. Use the storms of anxiety to wash away the funk and reveal the truth that lies beneath. You already have the power to make positive changes. Understanding that truth weakens the grip of anxiety. Persevere and you can break free. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The twists and turns on our life-path generate tension and stress. This pressure distorts our view of the world. The needs of our daily life can be overshadowed by complications, real or imagined. This creates a self-sustaining feedback loop of distressing feelings. Peaceful dreams, goals and aspirations are short-circuited by gnawing dread. But through discipline, we can interrupt the flow of negativity. We can flip that energy into a powerful force for change. Self-control is a superpower. And the dignifying power of believing in oneself is within us all. The only way out is through. – Robert Frost

Take time every day to focus on that which makes you anxious and that which makes you happy. It is nearly impossible to make the great changes in life without first making small changes. Choose a positive step you can take this week to reduce anxiety and increase confidence. The effects of these positive steps are cumulative. Small successes illuminate the future and decrease the shadows up ahead. Positive light dims the shadows until they are eventually barely noticeable. Make a positive change this week. But remember, whatever you do today, let it be enough. Do not beat yourself up by remember what didn’t happen. Nothing is permanent in this world – not even our troubles. – Charlie Chaplin