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Awareness & Anxiety

Dear self,

AWARENESS, RESILIENCE, AND ANXIETY

This is an observation of the relationship between awareness, resilience, and anxiety in my own life and is not meant to diagnose or provide resolution to anyone other than myself. I do hope those that can relate to my own experience may find this to be a useful reflection.

Awareness is the perceiving of reality

and one's existence within it.

Anxiety is a degree of awareness beyond

which one can tolerate,

or

Being aware of an aspect of reality or of oneself that they cannot accept or manage.

Direct solutions which dull or avert your awareness might include:

• engaging in distractions like media, and video games
  
• alcohol, supplements (l-theanine), or medications that directly reduce anxiety.
  
• reducing or removing stimulants like caffeine and nicotine which increase awareness.
  

Keep in mind that the thoroughness with which you navigate through life depends on the thoroughness with which you observe and apply yourself to it. It is essential to organize ourselves in a manner that maximizes the level of conscious awareness and thoughtful consideration we can handle in our lives.

Indirect solutions which increase capacity and tolerability for awareness might include:

• breathing techniques (physiological sigh, box breathing, exhale x2 the count of inhale)
  
• spiritual meditative practices (Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, etc.)
  
• Physical exercise (all forms, but especially sustained cardio)
  

Anxious, overwhelmed, and overstimulated, your reality seems to be pointed at you in a predatory manner, and you begin to feel prey to it.

Reflect on the last time life started to "get at you". Perhaps you are there now. Notice the internal narrative. It is that of a victim, seeing every instance of injustice upon yourself, and the fault of every person and circumstance.

The skill to realign your perceptions upon universal principles, shifting the viewing lens outward towards the world as it tends to turn inward towards the ego, is the only deliberate and honorable path out of that darkness.

• Cease that which arouses; Enact that which calms; (short term)
  
• Increase capacity for awareness (long-term)
  
• Learn about the circumstance; affect what you can, let go of that which you cannot.
  
• Exercise radical honesty and transparency.
  
• Observe your inclinations.
  
• Rediscover and realign to purpose. Live the theo-drama (God’s story), not the ego-drama (your story).