Why anxiety makes it hard to take the steps we need to overcome anxiety
I talk to women every day who are researching and strategizing the best way to overcome anxiety, panic attacks & intrusive thoughts
There are consistent patterns among women who are able to take the steps they need vs those who get stuck
When we’re in chronic anxiety, we can get stuck in analysis-paralysis, unsure who to trust and unable to trust our own gut instinct. Getting stuck here can feel incredibly frustrating and demoralizing. But there is hope.
If you can notice these forces at work in your mind, that means you have the ability to step back and gain perspective
If you can acknowledge that your mind is in fear, you feel paralyzed and you have a hard time connecting with your gut instincts…
Then the good news is YOU are still there. YOU are the one doing the noticing. So now YOU can make a choice.
Now that you have awareness of what’s going on, do you want to continue letting these forces make decisions for you, or do you want to step into the driver’s seat and be guided by a higher intelligence and a deeper faith that healing is possible?
>> The single most important element in overcoming anxiety is exercising our ability to make choices. If you don’t feel ready for big choices, find as many small ones as you can! Keep working out the “choice” muscle until you feel ready for a bigger lift
Here are the 3 most common blocks that hold us back:
Threat orientation
When we’ve been stuck in chronic fight or flight for long periods of time, it can leave us in a state of hyper-reactivity where we see threat everywhere.
This persistent threat-orientation can make it difficult to trust a mentor, coach or therapist who might be in a position to help
Analysis-paralysis
Information overload is a key feature of anxiety. When we’re already overloaded, it can feel next to impossible to sort through all the options, evaluate coaching programs or research and create a supportive self-care routine.
If you feel like you’re spinning in circles, you’re not alone!
Losing touch with your gut instinct
Anxiety is a disruption in our nervous system, and specifically in our gut-brain connection. We lose touch with our gut instincts and this is contributes to feelings of threat and analysis paralysis. It’s hard to make decisions without that “Yes!” feeling.
So what’s the solution? It feels like a Catch-22...
In order to overcome anxiety, I need to know what’s right for me, but I won’t know what’s right for me until I overcome the anxiety!
In resilience,
Caitlin