Feeling anxious? Name it to tame it.

More and more, I hear about people feeling anxious. They feel unsettled and not sure why. Or they have recurring worries or panic attacks.

Have you ever felt like this? 

It's becoming so common that I even heard doctors are now screening for anxiety as part of the annual physical exam. Since I teach seminars and have coached countless people to release their anxiety and develop emotional fitness, I want to share with you my experience:

Anxiety is dislocated fear. 

When we feel "anxious," we're usually afraid of something but we're not sure what that is. On top of it, we may resist or be afraid to even look at our fears, so we remain in a consistent state of anxiety.

Fear (including anxiety) is usually there to try to protect us from some perceived future pain/suffering, so that we'll feel good. Yet, fear comes at a huge cost, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, results-wise and more. Paradoxically, by being afraid we're guaranteed to immediately feel bad, in order to protect us from some future suffering that may never happen. Rather than protecting us, fear literally strips us from the good feeling we want to achieve! 

So, one vital key to overcoming anxiety is...

Get clear about what you fear. As psychiatrist and author Dan Siegel famously said, "Name it to tame it."

When I'm coaching people who feel anxious, I take them through a powerful process I created called Fear into Power™. There are multiple steps to it, but one is to step out of the anxious thoughts and step in to your core strength. Next, it's essential to listen to the part of you that feels anxious. What is it afraid of? Maybe you hear, "I'm afraid I will fail" or "I'm scared of feeling depressed." Whatever it is for you, really listen to the anxiety/fear. It can be especially effective to write down whatever comes up. Get the thoughts out of your head and on paper.

Then you can observe them, evaluate them and deal with them appropriately (instead of drowning in them). It's so important to become aware of the fear beneath the anxiety, then learn how to effectively dialogue with our feelings and transform them. 

This is a much more in-depth process than can be explained here, and it includes teaching effective ways to protect yourself fearlessly and without side-effects. But realize this, when you discover how to address your fears effectively, the cloud of anxiety disappears and the sunshine of serenity emerges. These are some of the most vital life skills I want every person to have. 

Whatever thoughts of fear or anxiety you may have, know this: You are MORE POWERFUL than your thoughts and feelings. You are MORE POWERFUL than you imagine. You are BIGGER than your obstacles. Even if you don't think so, you CAN HANDLE ANYTHING that may happen in your life. 

All my best,

Arjang Abraham Zendehdel
Founder and Head Trainer of Dreamality Education & Coaching
Radio Talk Show Host at KMET ABC Radio 1490 AM / 98.1 FM