We’ve been looking at the concept of observing the process of anxiety and fear rather than evaluating it. This is a great way to put some distance between you and the fear spiral that may drag you in when things get rough.
Yesterday we started our practice of observing anxiety with the simple statement, “I am thinking.”
Today we will look at a second simple statement that holds just as much power in this process. This statement is designed to acknowledge all the uncomfortable, scary and disturbing sensations and symptoms that anxiety and fear will throw at you. You know them. I don’t have to list them for you.
Next time you find yourself experiencing a flash of fear based on an anxious sensation in your body, insert a short pause, then try this statement.
“I am feeling.”
“Why am I feeling? Because fear creates sensations like this in human bodies.”
In the same way that we can resist the urge to interact directly with specific anxious thoughts, we can also use “I am feeling” as a way to back away from interaction with specific symptoms and sensations. A sudden sense of being off-balance does not have to be evaluated based on how it feels because it is just a feeling. It is a normal, expected, predictable, sensory experience that occurs repeatedly in very large numbers of healthy, safe, but afraid human beings across the world.
In this light, and given that you’ve likely experienced this sensation many times without serious consequence, you can take a short step back and declare simply ... “I am feeling.”
This statement does not concern itself with how fast your heart is beating, how nauseous you are, if you will vomit, if you will pass out, or if you will fall down. It only accurately and dryly acknowledges the PROCESS of anxiety and fear in your body.
Anxiety recovery is all about learning to recognize less productive reaction habits and replace them with more productive and recovery focused reaction habits. When we recover we learn to react to and interact with anxiety and fear in a new way. Steering clear of the usual fear spiral by acknowledging and observing rather than evaluating and predicting is a really good first step to take on in this journey.
Using the “I am feeling” statement can give you that little extra space that you need to make new and different choices about how to respond to your anxiety and your fear. It can keep you out of the fear spiral and in a position of influence as you move through your anxious moments with a purpose rather than being dragged around against your will.
When we pair it with “I am thinking”, “I am feeling” can become a solid stepping off point for your new recovery direction. Give them a try. They won’t be automatically easy to use, so be nice to yourself while you learn to use them. But when you get a grip on why these observational statements matter and how to use them, things can start to move in the direction you are hoping to move in.
Tomorrow we’re going to look at why recovery has nothing to do with seeking positivity or good vibes.
Have you listened to this week’s episode of The Anxious Truth podcast? Check it out out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or my website and YouTube channel.
24. I Am Feeling