Occasional anxiety and worry are a part of life. But when they disrupt the normal flow of life, work and school are harder, family and social relationships suffer, and life is not as enjoyable. Preoccupied by painful emotions and thoughts, we can begin to feel fatigued and hopeless, believing there is nothing we can do to change things.
Dr. Dan Kalb, an expert on anxiety disorders and OCD, explores how we can release obsessive fear during this particularly anxiety-provoking time.
ON THIS EPISODE WE EXPLORE:
| · What is an anxiety disorder?
· Mindfulness and being in the present moment. · Releasing obsessions, and not becoming ensnared by negative thoughts. · Acceptance, and useful vs. harmful self-reassurance. · Fears of death, and how to manage them. · Key techniques for releasing fear. |
ASK RICK:
How can you find courage when everything around you is falling apart, even globally?
It’s natural to feel stressed and overwhelmed by it all. My suggestion at times like this is to make a clear list of what you can actually do each day, and focus on that.
Take the steps you can. It’s classic advice for a reason: it’s profoundly true.
Time is like money: spend it where it will help you most.
For example, if you want to make a painting, set aside the time to do that and protect that time. Disengage from what you can’t change and focus on what you can. And then find confidence and refuge and self-respect in knowing that you are making honorable efforts and also making progress where you can.
Action and clarity can really help when we feel stuck in a fog; they are not the only things – self-compassion, perspective, and calming help, too! – but they are important pieces, and under our control.
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