Floating with Anxiety

How do we detach ourselves from our anxiety? Many of us have a hard time separating ourselves from our anxiety and our thoughts. Many years ago I received the best one-liner piece of advice, "You are not your anxiety". Sometimes it seems as though anxiety is this impenetrable force that can break through the strongest and tallest of walls that we can build to try to protect ourselves from it. We look in the mirror and no longer see ourselves for who we really are; our talents, personality, our soul. The reflection has many similarities but there's that fog that just wont lift, and we become unable to see blinded by the fear.

The thing is, we don't need to build those fortresses to keep anxiety away. We are not anxiety. It is very important to constantly visualize and verbalize this. When we are feeling anxious or having a panic attack, fighting it just makes it worse and running away isn't an option. This is where we need to learn to float. Practicing meditation and mindfulness can really help when you are trying to visualize this. Deep breathing, patience, acceptance and compassion for yourself. Even just saying words to yourself such as, "This is just my anxiety, I've been here before and I am going to accept it for what it is and just let it be." Continue to use your tool box of coping strategies such as deep breathing, but remain in this free state where you are not a prisoner. Anxiety is an unwelcome guest that always ends up leaving... eventually. 

The idea behind floating and acceptance is that the less we fight or try to escape, the lower our levels of overall anxiety become. Anxiety becomes less of a threat to the mind.

Below I am going to include a link to one of my favorite guided meditations that helps with visualizing separating yourself from your own thoughts and fears. Have faith in your ability to relax and float. Always knowing there is an end.