Anxiety

Some anxiety or stress can be useful and motivating in our lives. Personally, I often need a deadline, and the threat of what might happen if I don’t meet that deadline, to finish a task on which I’ve procrastinated. How do you know if you’ve crossed the threshold from eustress or healthy anxiety to distress or problematic anxiety? Some typical signs that anxiety may be taking a severe toll on your well-being include the following:

• Trouble falling or staying asleep

• Finding yourself short of breath

• Racing thoughts or inability to focus in the moment

• Rapid heart rate, nausea, dizziness

• Feeling short-tempered or overwhelmed; Ready to “snap”

• Shaky hands or sudden paralyzing fear

• Limiting your daily activities to avoid anxiety provoking situations

Symptoms of anxiety can be a sign that something is out of alignment in your life. I like to think of it as an emotional astigmatism or a car with one flat tire – you can push through for a while, but eventually the system won’t be able to function in that state. Maybe you’ve allowed your boundaries to be crossed for too long, stayed in that job or relationship that hasn’t been serving you, or been wearing a mask that covers up your true self. Our brains and bodies know when we are not being authentic and they will send alarms to try and get our attention – like a warning light on the dashboard of your car. Let’s find out what your system is trying to tell you.