398: Letter to Anxiety Listener Q and A

In today's episode Gina reads a letter from a listener who wrote her anxiety itself a letter. The letter describes her experience of the anxiety, the fight-or-flight response, the wise-mind and how these forces interact and influence her life. Listen in as Gina considers the wisdom contained in the letter as well as suggestions for other listeners to write their own letters to their anxiety.

Content from today's show:

Hi, Gina,

I discovered your podcast online and have been delving into the many episodes you have made available. I really have enjoyed listening and am learning a lot. I took your advice and decided to write a letter to my anxiety. I wanted to share it with you. Thank you for your excellent program.

Dear Mr. Fight-or-flight,

We’ve been roommates for a couple of years now, although you have come to live with me periodically at different times in my life. Each time you have moved in with me, you told me you were concerned about my safety and that you felt it necessary to be my protector

I think it’s time we had a little chat.

I know you mean well, but you have gone a little haywire in your endeavors to protect me and you have some very unpleasant ways of keeping me safe. You can be extremely demanding and loud, insisting that I listen to you and pay attention to you at the most inopportune times.

If I don’t pay attention to you, you just get louder and if I try to push you away, wow, you can be a real bear! Sometimes you try to scare me into listening to you which is hardly an acceptable solution to me. I am laying down a few ground rules.

First, I refuse to let you control me and run my life. I have some good friends that I have lost touch with since you came along and I want to renew my relationships with them.

My good friend, Live-in-the-moment has been reminding me of the good times we once had together and I want to be with her more often. I guess I can’t stop you from tagging along if you must, but she will be the primary focus of my attention when I am with her.

My cousins, Goodness and Mercy have been telling me they would like to have a greater presence in my life as well and they will be shadowing me every day just so you are aware.

There are a couple of other traits you have that I find very annoying.

You are notorious for propagating fake news which I’m sure you have heard of by now.

Many of the stories you have been telling me are simply not true, and they are always so negative and judgmental! They are kind of like reading tragic fiction all day and all night.

My neighbor, Mr. Wisemind has informed me of these tendencies of yours and I intend to rewrite those tragic tales you’ve been telling me into something positive. You can be so convincing sometimes and I’ve let you take me on some pretty hellish rides. This is going to stop, maybe not all at once but it will change over time.

My Aunt Mybody has encouraged me to sit down and relax with her and take time to breathe and listen to her. She is one of the most realistic, down-to-earth relatives I have and I need to spend some quality time with her every day. I’ve also been inviting Wisdom and Favor to accompany me on my life journey.

So … I appreciate your good intentions and your desire to help and I’ll be there for you when you feel you can’t live another moment without my undivided attention.

Everyone needs a little compassion and that includes you. I’m grateful for the things I have been learning because of you. All that being said, I will not continue to reward your bullying behavior by giving into your incessant demands.

Don’t be surprised if I just watch you from a distance and separate myself from you. I have a secret place I can go where you won’t be allowed to disturb me.

Sincerely,

C. R.

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