How Anxiety Can Be Your Friend.

Anxiety doesn't always need to feared or viewed as a negative, but can be embraced as an alarm that something is off in your life and needs your attention or needs to be changed.

Quieting your inner wisdom.

Many times anxiety is your inner wisdom and gut telling you that a change is necessary. Most people try to drown out the inner voice of anxiety by ignoring it, pushing it to the side, numbing out, and a variety of quieting techniques. But the voice inside you, your anxiety will only go away temporarily or manifest in another part of your body until it gets triggered again to start buzzing in your head.

Some signs that you are experiencing anxiety are an increased heart rate, shallow breathing, dry mouth, frequent urination, trouble sleeping, difficulty staying in the present moment, and more. When you're experiencing anxiety, your friend that is trying to get your attention, there are some helpful techniques to help take back control.

1. Embrace that you are experiencing anxiety. Embrace your reality.

2. Notice where the anxiety lives in your body. Do you feel it in your chest, gut, or has it tensed up your back?

3. Be curious. Listen to your friend Anxiety. Ask it why he/she is upset?

4. Do what it tells you to do, because like a friend, it has your best interest in mind. Anxiety is your body's way of getting you back on course toward your authentic-self/life.

An agent of change.

Anxiety becomes a loud, annoying friend when we disregard its wisdom and do not change what is within our control that is clearly bothering us. It can go from a tiny whisper to a crowd of protesters with megaphones over time to get your attention.

An example is when your boss is crossing a boundary, that you know deep down in your authentic-self is wrong, by giving you more tasks that have nothing to do with your job function. You might dread going into work or lose sleep over how you feel taken advantaged. Your friend Anxiety is trying to tell you to confront your boss and stand up for yourself with a conversation, or to start looking for a new job where you are better-valued.

Or if your friend is asking you to dog sit without pay and never returns the favor. Instead of saying "no" and explaining why nicely, you always grit your teeth feeling anxiety around letting your friend down, even though you don't want to dog sit really. If you were to listen to your bestie Anxiety, you'd see that you're being taken away from you authentic-self and center by not addressing the issue with your friend.

Cultivate your relationship.

Once you've given Anxiety your attention and made intentional changes, check in with yourself periodically. Has the anxiety gone away, or transformed into something else? Don't be afraid to stay friends with Anxiety and give her frequent updates on your life. She will help you to see if you are staying on your authentic-path.

For extra help with anxiety and embracing your authentic-self, take tuned for additional blog posts.