The Mindfulness Workbook for Anxiety: The 8-Week Solution to Help You Manage Anxiety, Worry & Stress

by Tanya J. Peterson

Anxiety becomes a problem for us when it becomes excessive. For example, when motivation becomes debilitating performance anxiety or empathy becomes overprotection and unhealthy attachment, anxiety becomes unhealthy, and we begin to struggle with it.

The more you hide from your anxieties, the stronger their hold over your life and your actions.

The problems arise when we let our thoughts take over. When we give them too much power, they can make us unhappy even when life is going well, and we can miss out on what’s going on around us and start living in the world our thoughts build.

YOU’RE NOT A COW

Unlike a cow, you have the power of choice, and the advanced ability to stop ruminating and start living with a constant supply of fresh thoughts, many of which come by living mindfully in each moment.

Thoughts are not facts, though that’s easy to forget.

we all have a built-in tendency toward avoidance, because the brain is hardwired to avoid painful and unpleasant experiences.

We develop troublesome avoidance patterns because when we avoid something that stresses us out, we experience a short burst of relief—which convinces us, at least for a while, that avoidance works. Of course, it doesn’t really work. Avoidance actually increases anxiety over time, because it reinforces and strengthens our anxious behaviors and thoughts.

Anxiety and self-criticism are partners in crime. And self-criticism can be dangerously toxic.

Cultivating compassion teaches us to accept our anxiety, our difficult emotions, and anything else that’s standing in the way of our ability to live the quality life we desire.

On autopilot, we’re not being mindful of our present moment, and we quickly lose track of ourselves.

One very effective, and calming, way to slow down and turn our thoughts away from anxious ruminations is to ground ourselves in what is happening in the here and now, around us and within us.

Mindfulness is a way of life.