How To Let Go Of Control

I get it. You had a bad day yesterday and you said some things to your partner that you really regret. Or maybe you're financial situation isn't great and you're wondering if you will get a call for that job interview. Either way, you are constantly living in the past or the future.

Most people are like this and that's perfectly natural. Actually, it can be beneficial! Thinking about the past can help us learn while thinking about the future can help us prepare. The problem is when we are living more in the past or the future and less in the present moment.

The reality is that we are going to make mistakes and there is always an element of uncertainty with regards to the future. That is life. But if you want to really live and enjoy life, you need to let go and enjoy the ride.

I'm telling you to let go as if it's that simple. It takes a lot of work. Fortunately, I have some tips that might be useful.

1. Bring yourself back to the present moment

When you find yourself thinking about the past or future, come to the present moment. You can do this by consciously putting all your attention on what you are doing; you can close your eyes and listen to your breath; you can also try really observing your surroundings.

If you make this a daily practice, it will eventually become second nature. You will find yourself living more and more in the present moment each day.

2. What you're worried about is not the end of the world

When we are anxious about the future, it's probably because we are in resistance to a potential outcome. But 95% (if not more) of what we worry about never actually happen. Also, would such an outcome really be that awful? You're not going to die if you fail a test and your life will go on if you do not get the job.

3. Find a hobby

Better yet, find a passion. Something that you can put 100% of your time and energy in. This will help you get your mind out of the past and future and into the now.

4. The Universe works in your favor when you allow

You attract what you are, not what you want. If you are worried, anxious and uncomfortable about the unknown, you will attract more of this into your life. Tell the Universe that you allow whatever might be and that you are competent enough to handle any outcome thrown your way. If you can do this, you will find you are attracting more positivity in your life. And when "bad" things happen, you will handle them with grace. Not only that, you will be able to see these negative situations as a learning opportunity or as "meant to be".

5. Follow a spiritual path

What's spiritual for me may be different than what's spiritual for you. And I'm certainly not trying to be pushy. But a huge part of spirituality is learning to be mindful, accepting and in the present moment. It has really helped me learn to let go of my need to be in control. I feel less anxious and happier.

You can start by reading a book or watching a documentary on spirituality or trying out yoga or breathing techniques. It can be as fast or as slow of a progress as you like. Either way, I guarantee you will reap benefits.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to subscribe you receive notifications when I upload. And check out the discussion forum I have created!

Here is a link to the discussion forum:
Discussion Forum

Here is a link to my previous blog post:
How To Get The Body Of Your Dreams | Feature The Law Of Attraction

Instant Cure For Anxiety | Quick Tip Entry # 4

It seems that everyone deals with anxiety nowadays. And for good reason.

We live in a faced paced society. We are more connected with electronics than each other. Our diet isn't the best. We are living to please other people (i.e.; our boss, spouse, parents, etc).

These are a lot of things to change. It could take months or years. And maybe some people can't (or won't) change them.

That's OK. For now, I have an easy and instant solution for anxiety.

Odds are, you're feeling anxiety because of something that may happen. You're thinking about work the next day. You're worried about your exam next month. You're nervous about Tuesday's presentation.

It's OK to feel anxiety over these things. It means you care. If you had a neutral reaction, you may not prepare for your exam or show up for work!

But anxiety is still not a nice feeling. Especially when it keeps you from living in the present moment...

I think I hit the nail on the head that time. "It keeps you from living in the present moment".

My response to that? Put yourself in the present moment. Turn off electronics and get rid of distractions. Sit down and really put all your attention on what is happening right now. The sounds, sights, taste, smells, and feels (LOL). Tell yourself that you are in the present moment.

It takes some practice. You may feel a little uncomfortable at first. But once you really grasp what it means to be in the present moment and do it on a regular basis, you will start to feel better.

For me, it feels like my anxiety instantly disappears. It may come back again a little while, but I'll just bring myself back to the present again. :)

And remember. Just because it doesn't work the first time doesn't mean that it will never work. It's a practice. Keep at it.

Ang

Check out the link to my past previous:

Easy Way To Overcome Difficult Times

If you're interested in learning more about anxiety, check out the following links:

Why You Will Never Be Completely Free Of Anxiety

Does Your Job Give You Anxiety? Don't Distract Yourself... Do This Instead!

Why You Will Never Be Completely Free Of Anxiety

Even though I have come a long way, I still have anxiety. Or at least, I can have anxiety. Let me explain myself.

I was always a basket case growing up. I think I felt anxious more than I felt calm. But in my early 20s, I experienced a shift which is what I share on Confessions Of An Awakened Youth.

But these Spiritual practices that I follow does not mean that I am 100% anxiety free. You must know that you will never find a solution to get rid of anxiety. Why? Because some anxiety is normal. I'll explain why through example. 

Imagine that you are walking home alone at night and you see a short cut which involves walking down a dark ally. You don't get a good feeling about it and you start to feel anxious. That's good! The anxiety will prompt you to be alert or find an alternative way home. Anxiety can save your life. Why would you want to get rid of that?

 For the rest of our lives we are going to be faced with uncertainty which will involve some degree of anxiety. The good news is that you can live a more care free and happy life than an anxious life. It's how you respond to anxiety that is key.

A couple hours ago, I was faced with uncertainty and technically I still face it. What triggered my anxiety involves my job so I don't want to get into details about it. But I felt myself rise and even panic. I wanted the matter addressed ASAP and I wasn't going to relax until it has been resolved. But it's Friday evening and there isn't anyone to help me until Monday.

Do I really want to be anxious for the rest of the weekend? Am I really going to let this take me from the present moment over the next couple of days? 

No.

I took a step back and looked at the outcomes of the situation: 1. the situation is resolved in my favor and 2. the situation is not resolved in my favor. 

Obviously the first outcome is the most desirable. But it's the uncertainty of the situation that causes the anxiety. And what happens if outcome number 2 comes to fruition? Well, I'll just deal with it. The world won't end. It will be OK. It's always OK at the end of the day. I am capable and strong even to handle any situation that comes my way. And so are you. 

You must be mindful. You must be in the present moment even if (when) anxiety rears it's ugly head. 

I hope this blog helps with your anxiety. If nothing else, I hope that it encourages you be mindful and feel fearless. It's a liberating thing when you can face your anxiety.

Thanks for reading,

Ang

Other meditation blogs you may like:

Don't Have Time To Meditate? Read This! https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/06/dont-have-time-to-meditate-read-this.html

Meditation For Dummies
https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/04/meditation-for-dummies.html

Meditation Diary: Entry No. 1

I started meditating at around 10:50 PM. It was the deepest meditation I have ever experienced to date. While in a meditative space, I could see and feel the “space” that was behind my eye lids expand. I felt like I was in a different world. I concentrated on this without any thoughts interfering. I could also feel my third eye opening which is something I often experience. It’s like tingling sensation or a pressure close to the center of my forehead. I could clearly feel the blood flowing through my veins and my heart beating. It was pure bliss and I did not want to stop. I meditated for about 50 minutes. This was the longest time I have ever mediated. It did not feel that long though. Time seemed to escape from me during this period.

I think I may have been entering the astral realm. I would sink deeper into myself and I remember having this feeling of my body and soul/spirit separating. I cannot explain what this felt like. It was more of an intuitive feeling. I had a few fleeting images of myself as I was during this state as well as the sky and lights. This, however, did not last long.

As one would expect, I felt calm and at peace when I came out of meditation. However, very shortly after I started to become very aware of my own body and it felt like I was out of reality. I began to have distressing thoughts. What if the mediation caused this? What if I never feel calm and at peace again? These thoughts along with my already anxious state transpired into a panic attack. I felt like I was back where I started (I dealt with panic and anxiety my whole life). I couldn't make sense of what was happening.

I decided to do some research and I became bombarded with articles about the “negative” effects of mediation. My mind ran away with some ridiculous ideas which only exacerbated my panic attack. I slept on it, did a bit more research, and vented to my dad. I came up with a few ideas as to what was happening.

1. The first explanation is that I simply started over thinking, as I often do, and my body responded with anxiety. It had nothing to do with meditation and was merely a coincidence. Pretty basic and self explanatory.

2. The next explanation is that mediation can bring to surface suppressed anxiety. Anxiety that we have not come to terms with. This happens so that we can come to terms with it, put it in our past, and move on. It’s an emotional, mental, or spiritual detox if you will.

I feel that explanation 2 is more likely because of the way I choose to handle the situation. In the past, I would have let anxiety take over me or try so hard to suppress it. This time was different. I acknowledged that I was feeling anxiety but I did not attach any reason to it nor did I attach myself to it. Similar to what happened to me during mediation, I separated myself from the anxiety. Something that I was unable to do, nor would I want to, in the past. The symptoms of anxiety and panic slowly started to subside and I could feel myself come back to baseline which actually felt a little more relaxed than what it usually does. Yes, this was an uncomfortable experience. But with it, I feel like I am stronger mentally and spiritual.

August 1, 2016