When anxious moments become destructive habits

(Part 2)

This is the second article in a series on anxiety and is offered to people who have struggled with the debilitating effects of anxiety on individuals, families, organisations and communities. My view on anxiety is simple. If we do not have intentional control measures in place within our communities, anxiety can have a malignant and destructive on people and communities ie, if we don’t manage it – it will manage us. In other words, anxious moments can over time, morph into stressful and destructive habits.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a core human emotion designed as a human safety mechanism that alerts us to a real or perceived threat to our emotional safety and well-being. In its place, anxiety is a good thing because it motivates us to action – to do something about the thing that is causing us anxious moments. Up to a point, anxiety energises us to make decisions and to take action regarding our own safety and welfare. Beyond that point, it becomes a crippling master, feeding on itself until it devours our zest for life, peace in our loving relationships and productivity in our businesses and organisations. This toxicity can be poisonous to our personal and community sense of well-being and esprit-de-corps.

The two types of anxiety

Anxiety can originate from two different sources: firstly, from sources external to our personal lives and living and secondly from within our own living environments. The nature of these two origins is noticed by the effects of anxiety on the individual or organisation. Anxiety from within can go largely unnoticed until it begins to have a life of its own and reek emotional havoc on those caught in its talons. The most effective method of reducing anxiety to manageable levels is a combination of reactive and proactive steps: eg, we may not be able to control that which is causing the anxiety but we can take positive reactive steps to reduce the level of felt anxiety. Proactive ways of reducing anxiety include structuring our lives, families and businesses with positive characteristics like kindness, courtesy, gentleness and respect.

Mind-mapping workshops

The most effective and enduring way that I know of, in managing anxiety, involves the skill of mind-mapping that includes strategically mapping sources of negative emotions like anxiety. If you would like more information about up-and-coming workshops on mind-mapping, please call or email me. Making an intentional decision to do something about managing anxiety in your personal space(s) is the first step in regaining zest for life and living. Businesses and organisations need also to attend to improving workplace environments by proactively managing anxiety lest anxious moments become destructive habits or entrenched, unproductive cultural negativity.