When We Are Anxious

When we are anxious and worried, I can tell you this for sure.


We are not present in the moment.


When we are caught by anxious thoughts and worries, we are not present for what's happening in front us.


What's going to happen next?
What if that fails?
What if I couldn't find it?
I might not survive.


All our anxieties and worries are for the future.

Even if you are reading this at a tip of a cliff worring 'What if I fall?', you haven't fallen yet.
You are worring for a future, even if it is mere 30 seconds away.

In reality, nothing is happening right now.

Absolutely, nothing.

Your brain might argue to justify your thinking process by saying "Well, but..." but it's true!

You are breathing, not dead and not losing anything right at this moment.

..............................


Yesterday, I had to bring my old car to a garage unexpectedly and that costed unexpectedly high (my mechanic is brilliant and very reasonable. But still!).

I was glad to get it fixed.
Safety is most important.

But this morning, as I was making breakfast, my head began to worry...


What if I need that money for something next week? I've got lots of plans next week...
Do I have enough for this and that?


As I said, nothing was happening that made me need money right at that moment.

I was in the kitchen, flipping pancakes.
I was nowhere near that I can spend money in (the closest shop is 4km away!)

But my brain still managed to make up few scenarios 'Me Being In Trouble By Short Of Money'.

..............................


As a part of the human evolution, our body has been developed in a way that it is possible to live a reality we imagined in our head.

When we imagine biting into a wedge of lemon, we feel saliva welling up in our mouth.

You think about someone you have a crush on and you feel your cheeks getting red. (No?)

When we hear a scary story, goosebumps come up on our arms.


Our body can react as if what we imagine in our head is a reality.

We can live our future worries and anxieties as our present reality.

I can live the scenario 'Me Stuck For Money Next Week' right now!

...........................


So, what can I do in order not to live in anxiety?

My answer is to concentrate on what I'm doing at the moment.

Flipping pancakes.

My body's reality is that. Only that.

I'm at a warm, safe kitchen filled with sweet smell of pancakes, where there's no reason to spend money, my right hand gripping the familiar wooden handle of old iron skilett and my left hand feeling a smoothness of stainless steel spatula.

A surge of warmth spread from my lower tummy.

I moved to a sink to give a plate a quick rinse. I turned the tap and felt a warm water began to splush on my hands.
A drop and then a gush of liquid hitting my left hand...

Just that.

I was out of my virtual worry scenario.

..............................


Meditations and mindfulness would have the similar aspects to what I said.


It's to choose which reality to live.

The one we created in our head?
Or the one our body is in?

Both are true.
No matter how enlightened we could be, shit would continue to happen in our life.

People might say to you 'Stop dreaming. Look at the reality.'
And they are right.

But which reality to look at.
That's the key for me.