Rejecting Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. It spikes our system so we are ready to flee or fight. This spike usually subsides and resolves after a 1-2 minutes. When anxiety persists and does not resolve on its own, we must dismiss it and bring our levels back to normal. This begins by recognizing that we are free to reject anxiety in the same way we can reject food or other people’s behaviors. When you are feeling persistent anxiety, use your mind to say “No. This situation does not call for anxiety. I do not need a spike to my system. I am where I want to be. And my levels are now free to normalize.” Then breathe in and *slowly* exhale. The slower the exhale, the more your body will begin to calm itself. Calming thoughts and calming long exhales are two keys to rejecting unwanted anxiety.