How to Settle Nerves

 Today's prompt asks this question.  Mmm,  "nerves"? Google says it's a mix of "anxiety,  dread and excitement". So it may be positive,  but mostly I'd describe it as a negative emotion.  

Because,  tell the truth I get excited a lot.  I calm myself from this state by basic measures like breathing,  coffee www drinking and "cognitive therapy", kind of mentally steadying my mind.  What I mostly do is play things down a little; it's ok,  it will be good,  but it will pass.  Or sometimes it'd it's possible I delay or prolong the anticipation period and savior that feeling.  Being older and a bit more cynical,  I know that sometimes the promise of something fantastic doesn't always live up to you're expectations.  So,  excited? Steady the ship.  

On the negative side of the ledger, feelings of dread or anxiety,  I would say that I rarely feel that way.  For many years I have loosely practiced a mindset with ingredients from  Positive Thinking,  Buddhism and something I would describe as Acceptance. This is an attitude of accepting some things ad normal life events,  thinking that it could be worse,  or its something I can't change and therefore I've just got to accept it.  Probably,  the last time I got anxious was in the days following the end of my 29 year marriage.  After a long,  but rather lacklustre relationship my ex-partner was pressured into revealing she had been having sex with a work colleague for some time.  I probably wad not upset about the relationship's termination,  as I was about the effect on my two children and how we would cope financially. Party of my anxiety was actually real anger at a woman who failed to rise  to any moral development and who never wasted time holding back on criticisms and negativity towards me.  So there was a lot of regret and anger mixed in,  and I suffered physically in the wee small hours.  Panting,  breathless,  no future vision gripped me. In those days it was just a matter of holding on and getting through the basics of surviving.  I am so proud that five years on I can say we are worse of financially,  but leading a life with contentment and wholesomeness. One woman,  actually a nun,  I was talking to recently about how matters had unfolded, confirmed that "doing your best", is probably the best you can do. 

Generally though,  I would say I am  into Anxiety Avoidance most days.  By rising early,  drinking coffee,  trending to pets and reading and writing,  running a fire,  home cooking and choosing a positive attitude,  all set one up to be ready for small set backs. 

  

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