How to stop anxiety in its tracks...
15 October 2019
“You want me to go up to the 25th floor of this building? No way is that going to happen!”
That would have been my inner response only a couple of years ago, maybe even 12 months ago.
Why?
When I experience anxiety, it tends to manifest in situations where I feel like I need to be able to escape at any point. This made travelling on trains, being in lifts, airports and planes, traffic jams, large arenas, supermarkets where I couldn’t see the exit and small spaces really difficult for me.
I remember at one time in my life, I was considering my next role with an external employer and one of my search criteria was how I could travel there (not on trains), how tall was the building (I didn’t want to use a lift), how often would I travel abroad (could I do it?).
This was incredibly limiting.
It was also one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve been through because logically I knew my fears made no sense, I had no evidence to suggest I would come to harm yet my brain would switch to fight or flight mode at any suggestion of going somewhere that could trigger an anxiety attack.
I felt guilty because I couldn’t do various things that I REALLY wanted to do with friends, family and colleagues but I would make excuses or they would stop asking me because they knew I wouldn’t go.
I tried so many different ways to “fix” these thoughts and attacks – hypnotherapy, counselling, homeopathy, distraction techniques, avoidance strategies, holistic therapies, more sleep, changes in diet… I would try anything. Some of these really helped but I still held this deep belief that it could happen at any time if I wasn’t prepared.
What changed then?
How did I get on a plane last month, travel to the USA and work on the 25th Floor of this building delivering wellbeing workshops to support others to live a life they want to live?
I chose me.
I chose to be true to who I am.
I chose to live life my way.
I chose to create the life that feels right for me.
And I choose to live that way every morning when I wake up…
If you feel like this then please know it doesn’t have to be this way forever.
You have a choice too…
...Claire
#wilsonspirit #wellbeing #coaching #choices #choosehappy
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