The biggest cause of anxiety is a feeling of being out of control of our lives, our circumstances, and worst of all, our reactions. If we feel powerless over our lives, this can lead to terrible feelings of anxiety. To overcome anxiety, we need to become aware of the reasons we feel anxious.

A common reaction to feelings of anxiety is denial. We feel uneasy already, and to examine this uneasiness is a frightening prospect. However if we are going to overcome anxiety, we must face the issue head-on. While we ignore, deny, suppress, or avoid our feelings, we allow them free reign over our minds and our lives. By refusing to confront and examine the anxiety we feel, and the roots of the problem, we will only find that we become more anxious.

If anxiety is caused, in a large part, by feeling out of control of our lives, then to begin to overcome anxiety, we must begin reclaiming control. While there are many things over which we do not have control, we can, and should take control of our actions and reactions. We need to summon the courage to face that which is troubling us.

A very important realization is that we do, in fact, have very little control over the circumstances of our lives. A great deal of anxiety is caused by trying to hang on to the illusion that we can control life, when we really just need to let go and trust that the universe is taking us exactly where we need to go. Trust that we have the strength and the wisdom to handle whatever circumstances come our way.

We also need to become aware that we can have complete control over how we react to the situations that we encounter. There is always a choice, and failing to recognize this makes us feel powerless and anxious. We create a lot of stress in our lives by trying to control things that are beyond our control, and also by not taking firm control of the one thing we can control- our own reactions.

In order to overcome anxiety, we need to look at our core beliefs about control.

If you believe that you can, and should be controlling every aspect of your external reality, this is not just a recipe for anxiety! It is a recipe for a nervous breakdown! By accepting that many aspects of life are beyond our control, and working on developing trust that everything in our lives happens for a reason, and that we can handle whatever comes our way, we can begin to release some of the pressure we have placed on ourselves.

The other factor that needs to be considered is whether or not you believe that you have power over the way you respond to whatever is happening in your life. This is the key area in which we need to claim total power of choice and responsibility.

I love the serenity prayer used in Alcoholics Anonymous, “grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Serenity is the perfect antidote to feelings of fear, and this prayer can be powerful in helping to overcome anxiety. Focus on thoughts of courage, wisdom, and serenity, and allow anxiety to fade to the background. Let peace be in the forefront of your heart and mind.

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