Relaxation anxiety & how to overcome it
What Do You Do When Worry’s Too Damn Scared To Let Go? How Are You Ever Going To Feel Relaxed?
Stop ‘trying’ to relax. That’s how.
I always had a hard time relaxing. My mind runs at a hundred miles an hour and spins off in unpredictable directions. I have that classic ‘Look! Squirrel!’ distractibility. It fuels uncertainty which in turn feeds worry & anxiety.
Perceived wisdom says relaxation is excellent at calming an anxious mind.
I tried. Repeatedly.
It didn’t work. Trying to relax only succeeded in making room for more anxiety.
Even on a fortnight’s family holiday, off somewhere warm & sunny, it’d take me 10 days to start to unwind. Just before it was time to come home, I’d have the first glimmers of peace. All too quickly, it was time to pack up again.
In researching this article, it seems I’m not alone.
My busy mind happily produces odd connections between things, letting me see solutions that aren’t at all obvious. And I can hyper-focus with the best of them.
On the other hand, I’ll sit down to work my way through the important tasks on today’s to-do list & come to an hour later…
