What is anxiety?

What is anxiety and why does everyone have it? I think we have all put unrealistic expectations on ourselves, or even worse, let someone else’s expectation guide our feelings about ourselves. What if we all just let go!! Truly let go. What does letting go look like? Let me ask you this. When you are stressed about something, and up in the middle of the night, not able to go back to sleep, what are you thinking about that makes you so stressed? Let’s list the top 4 most stressful things that can happen to you, whether real or imagined:

You lose your job

Your wife leaves you

You can’t pay your bills and you become homeless

And last but most importantly, you are going to die!!! Or someone you love is going to die!

Ok, that’s the main list. I may have missed something. But at the end of the day, we are worried that we are going to suffer and die!! DIE! That’s right. Death is the worst outcome in your delusional mind that keeps you up at night! Because you lose your job, your wife leaves you, you become homeless and then you and your family suffer on the streets and die a long, slow horrible death. Can we agree that that’s the worst-case scenario? So does that mean, if you face death and overcome any fear of you or your loved ones dying, will you no longer have stress. The answer is, to some degree, yes. Fear is a killer. Emotionally, mentally and most of all spiritually. It blocks you in ways you can’t see. It prevents you from believing in your dreams. Anxiety is fear. And what is the thing we fear the most? Our death or the death of a loved one. Maybe dying a slow death where you suffer, is the worst fear. I think we can all agree to that. I think being eaten by a shark would be the worst thing that could happen to me. But I don’t let that keep me up at night.

So the next time you wake up in the middle of the night, say to yourself, is there any danger of being killed in a slow horrible death right now or eaten by a shark, or can I go back to sleep?  Face your fears head on and go back to fucking sleep! The reality is, have you survived this long? Has anyone tried to kill you in a slow horrible way? Have you been swimming in shark infested waters. That does happen. Or life can feel like that.  I guess waking up at 3am is important then. You see where I am going with this nonsense. Anxiety is fear and fear is all make believe. There is nothing to fear accept fear itself. Remind yourself that you have survived this long, you’ve got this life thing. You will always be ok. You’ll figure it out.  How do I know, because the worst thing that can happen is you die or someone you know dies. And if that happens? Let’s explore that question. What happenes when you die? You go to heaven. Or…..if you don’t believe in heaven, then its lights out and you’re none the wiser. The good news is the anxiety is sure to be gone. If that’s the case, and you don’t believe you go to a better place when you die, then do you really want to waste your limited time on earth having anxiety?  That would be a waste of valuable time. We all have anxiety. I promise if you let go of all expectations of yourself, and face death in the face, your fears will lessen, and the anxiety will too. Don’t wait until you’re dead to lead a stress free life. Fuck it! What’s the worst that can happen?