staying present oriented to help your anxiety

[LemonKiss]

I went to a Buddhist meditation group the other night. We were told to stay in the present moment. Only when you are there can you be truly happy and free. I didn't agree with him at first. But I went home and found myself trying it. The good results came in immediately.

Here's what you can do: Focus on your body and how it's weight is pushing down on wherever you are. Make sure you do not think about something in the past (be it 10 years ago, or something someone said that embarassed you 10 seconds ago) or worry about an upcoming event (be it your wedding or having to purchase items at the store's check out line). Just forget about any of that. Let your mind calm down. Hear the sounds around you. Feel at ease with where you are.

I did this and right away I knew it was a magnificent technique. I felt myself let go and could sing around other people. Because, if you know you aren't going to think about something after you do it and feel embarassed by it, and you aren't going to let any past embarassments hold you back, than you are practically fearless!

Good luck, I hope it works as well for you as it has been working for me. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Quixote]

I can see how staying focused on your present could bring a measure of relief. In fact, one problem that I have, as I suppose many of you here, is a tendency to overthink about past events and overplan future ones. The first activity takes away a lot of brain energy that could be more profitably employed, while the second is simply paralyzing. Often, the overthinking drains whatever small amount of willpower I have managed to collect, so that after vividly imagining the beginning, potential evolution(s), and the (usually unpleasant) end of whatever idea I may have come up with, I end up giving up on it

 

[Richey]

yup its actually a quick fire cure if you can focus your energy on staying in the moment, for example:

youve just been to the shops and you've had an awkward conversation with a cashier, as you walk out you knock over a stack of orange juice and its all a bit humiliating, if you can walk out of the store saying to yourself "ok, that wasnt exactly the smoothest shopping ive done" and then shrug it off by then staying and focusing on the present moment your only thinking about whats in front of you and not whats in the past or future ....

we are conditioned from a young age to worry about the past and the future and when things arnt going our way that can be magnified and paralyzing ..

ill try and test myself this week and ill post back about how i went later

 

[Kinetik]

I've actually read a book on this exact subject - it's called The Power of Now. At first I thought it was a load of bollocks, but I kept with it and am glad I did. It says that most of us are either living in the past or the future, and neither are real - all they are comprised of is distorted views of how you imagine things were or will be. It goes on to mention how you can always manage things in the here and now, but the anticipation of something can paralyze you. I think there's a lot to be said for that. I mean how many of us have stressed and agonized over things endlessly only to have them not happen? I wish I could truly apply all the advice in that book... I'm such a dreamer that I don't know if I'll ever be able to.