Eliminate Anxiety?

Recently, I was asked by a prospective client to assist them in 'eliminating anxiety' from their life. It was an interesting request. Certainly I could see that he would benefit from altering his anxiety levels, but I could not in all honesty take him on as a client, with the aim of eliminating anxiety.

Why? First, because I believe that all our emotions are useful for us at specific times. Anxiety can alert us to the fact that we are about to be mugged, for example, and allows us to create the best physiological state for us to respond to the situation. Eliminating his anxiety response would mean he was less able to be fully human and experience the range of emotions that accompany our humanity.

Secondly, when we want to eliminate some aspect of ourselves, it suggests that we are also rejecting that part of ourselves. And I am increasingly convinced that ACCEPTANCE rather than rejection, is a much more effective way of enabling us to move forwards. If we notice, then accept, we create a completely different psychological and also physiological state.

Thirdly, I was much more interested in helping him to create more of what he DOES want in his life!

I am reminded of the conclusion of my last post: 'Love matters'. Love not only matters when we are dealing with students, clients, family, friends....it also matters hugely when we are dealing with ourselves. Love matters. Let's love all parts of ourselves....even those parts that perhaps we have labelled as undesirable. Let's take the fight and rejection out of it.....and bring love and acceptance into our lives.