Every week I get emails from readers that want to know more about their anxiety symptoms. They want this information because they’re terrified.

They’re convinced that anxiety is going to kill them. I reckon that you can relate to this feeling too.

When I get these emails I feel bad because I know they don’t need to feel that way.

I try to help, but I’m not sure that I’m always successful in my attempts to ease their fears.

So, I’d like to try one more time in this post.

It’s important to get a handle on your anxiety symptoms because they distract you from using all the useful tips you find online and elsewhere.

Think about how many times you’ve discovered some great bit of advice and had its calming affects smashed by chest pain, palpitations, or whatever.

I remember being convinced that I was anxiety free many, many, times only to find a little later that a headache could still cause me to jump online and look for reasons for my impending death or insanity. It was a never-ending loop.

You  focus on anxiety symptoms because it’s the only thing you can hang on to. It’s the only proof of what is otherwise a mysterious force. So it makes sense that you do that.

Still, it’s far more helpful to think about why you’re anxious. It could be because of your job, relationships, worry, or maybe because you’re sensitive to stress.

I once heard someone say that he didn’t feel as though he should be anxious. That’s a common feeling, but there is a reason. There always is.

The problem is that most of us, you included, don’t want to deal with the issue(s) that cause anxiety. Those can be painful and seem better left alone.

That’s why you turn to anxiety symptoms. They’re an easy target for your anger, worry, sadness, et cetera.

I recommend that you see a medical doctor and get examined. Rule out any and all potential medical issues. Then, if you’re found healthy, move on. Otherwise, you’re going to stay stuck where you are now. This is even more true if you’ve seen many doctors already.

There has to be a better way, right?

This is a topic that I have a lot of opinions on, so I’ve created a podcast to delve into the details. If you want to learn more about how to take charge of your anxiety symptoms click the listen icon below.

Whenever I write something I think about my readers, people like you, and I wonder: What can I say that will help with the ugliness of anxiety?

In my own,  simple way, I try to highlight the positive. I do that because I know that when you’re anxious it’s so easy to do the opposite.

It’s easier to despair and wrap yourself in the bitter embrace of fear than it is to be optimistic.

My critics  lament that I’m so upbeat, but then again, that’s why they’ll probably stay anxious for the rest of their lives. Negativity has a way of throwing mud in your eye and blinding you to what you need to see in that regard.

That’s what I think anyway.

I’ve heard some people say nothing works for anxiety, that they’ll always be afraid, and unhappy.

Well. That’s not true. Especially the piece about being unhappy. In fact, I think that if you work on being happy you will, over time, reduce your anxiety.

Not to say that breathing, eating, and thinking right don’t help, but let’s not forget about the obvious, either.

Recently I got an email from a reader that asked how he could be happy despite stress. So I took the opportunity to create a podcast that addresses not just happiness in the face of stress, but happiness in general.

It makes sense that he framed his question like that. When stress and anxiety beat you up all the time it’s hard not to think about everything in the context of those kinds of emotions; those heavy, I’m wearing wet jeans kinds of feelings.

I didn’t focus on negative feelings though. I just asked the question more simply.

How do you go about being happy, at all?

To answer that question I defined what happiness is, then I list, what I believe to be, the best ways to achieve happiness.

It’s certainly not the only, easiest, or most creative way. But it works.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

So there you are. Sitting in a frigid waiting room staring at the clock.

Each time the second-hand moves it seems to clang louder and louder.

Tic-Toc. Tic-Toc.

As you rub your sweaty hands together suddenly your name gets called out, which causes your stomach to hit the floor.

Then you suck in a big gulp of air and take the long walk into the examination room. Eyes glued to the medical assistant’s heels as you hope, wish, and pray that you don’t panic.

But I’m not writing to tell you that some people get nervous when they see a doctor. We all know that happens. I want to tell you about much more than that.

What’s White Coat Syndrome?

Some people, maybe you, also get high blood pressure when they’re in their doctor’s office. It’s called White Coat Syndrome (WCS), or White Coat Hypertension.

The most common symptom of white coat syndrome is elevated blood pressure while you’re at your doctor’s office, but not when you’re anywhere else.

What’s considered high blood pressure? It varies depending on who you ask, but in general if your blood pressure hits 140/90 then you have high blood pressure, which is also known as hypertension.

In this regard, white coat syndrome is situational, like the fear of flying for example.

It’s also a specific phobia that most people decide not to treat because in most cases it doesn’t stop you from doing what you have to do on a daily basis.

Key Points

WSC may cause:

• Panic
• Fainting
• Fear of losing control
• Fear of dying

WSC is caused by:

• Past trauma
• Fear conditioning
• Repression of emotions
• Pre-existing anxiety issues

Why it Matters

Some studies have shown that people who suffer from WCS may have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease over the long-run.

It’s not as bad as having sustained hypertension, but the risk is there nonetheless, so it should be addressed.

Plus, having WCS also means that you’re more likely to put off preventative or routine appointments to see your doctor, which could increase your chances of missing or ignoring minor issues that could develop into a big problem over time.

Of course, there are things you can do to reduce your intense fear of the doctor, blood pressure cuffs, or even waiting rooms. I reviewed treatment options for WSC in a recent podcast.

Press Play Now or Download it

References

Brayer, T. (2011). About white coat hypertension. Retrieved from: http://getbetterhealth.com/about-white-coat-hypertension/2011.02.21

Chung, I., Lip, G. (2003). White coat hypertension: Not so benign after all? Journal of Human Hypertension, 17, 807-809. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001651. Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/jhh/journal/v17/n12/full/1001651a.html

Landray, M., & Lip, G. (1999). White coat hypertension: a recognised syndrome with uncertain implications. Journal of Human Hypertension, 13(1), 5. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Klausch, T. (2009). Phobias and overcoming phobias. Retrieved from: http://web4health.info/en/answers/anx-phobias-general.htm#phobias

When my mom turned about 50 years old I noticed that she was a lot more irritable than she used to be.

I never bothered to ask why and instead I’d get annoyed with her. Silly me.

My poor mom was emotional, sleepless, anxious, and ready to fight on a regular basis.

She did tell me it was menopause and that she was going through a lot, but as a male I didn’t know what all that meant, and to be honest, I never looked into it. I just laid low.

That is until I got a phone call from an AG reader named Tracey. See, Tracey has been to several doctors because of something called perimenopause, also known as menopause transition.

Perimenopause is a transitional time for women between the ages of roughly 45-55 that takes them into menopause.

Anyway, Tracey didn’t feel like her doctor(s) were very helpful, so here we are.

Specifically, Tracey wanted to know if perimenopause can cause anxiety and depression. The answer is yes. So now I owe my dear mom an apology!

Perimenopause, or even full menopause, is nothing to sneeze at. It marks a significant life transition and can be painful, isolating, and take a long time to complete.

I delved into this issue for a lot of reasons. Mainly though, I just wanted to get the word out, which is that perimenopause is serious but manageable.

There are several symptoms of perimenopause and each one can cause distress.

“Even with a normal sleep cycle, fatigue may still be reported. Irritability, forgetfulness, headaches, stiff joints, joint pain, vertigo, palpitations, stomach bloating, fluid retention, and breast tenderness can occur. Menstrual symptoms include irregular menstrual flow, excessive or deficient amounts of menstrual flow, and infrequent flow. Sexual symptoms include a decrease in sexual interest or desire, vaginal dryness, dissatisfaction with sexual relationships, and painful intercourse” (Daire, A. P., & Fairall, H., 2005, p. 107).

So I’d say any woman experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause deserves a break. But more than that, I also think they deserve solid information. So if you are, or know someone, dealing with this very issue then take a listen to today’s podcast.

Inside Today’s Podcast

I’ll explore:

- The causes of perimenopause

- The symptoms of perimenopause

- The link between perimenopause, anxiety, and depression

- Treatment options for perimenopause

How to Cope with Perimenopause

What you really need to know in a nutshell is this:

1. Get your hands on some basic education about sexuality and sexual functioning
2. Normalize your sexual activity
3. Exercise
4. Try Magnesium, B vitamins, or a multivitamin
5.  Seek sex therapy to treat a sexual dysfunction or to manage a chronic
   physical problem that requires a change in your typical
   sexual repertoire
6. Think positively about aging and menopause
7. Live a healthy lifestyle and reduce stress

AND always talk to your doctor openly about what you’re experiencing and about treatment options available to you.

(Daire & Fairall, p. 112).

There’s more, there always is. But these are the basics and you should be aware of them.

And even if this issue doesn’t affect you directly chances are it affects someone you know. So learn about this condition for yourself or so you can empathize more with those around you because that can make all the difference in the world.

CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast.

P.S.

A big thank you to Tracey for asking this excellent question.

References

Daire, A. P., & Fairall, H. (2005). Sexuality and perimenopause: What counselors need to know. Adultspan: Theory research & practice, 4(2), 105-115. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Perimenopause: rocky road to menopause. (Cover story). (2005). Harvard Women’s Health Watch, 12(12), 1-4. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Prior, J. C. (2006). Perimenopause lost—reframing the end of menstruation. Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology, 24(4), 323-335. doi:10.1080/02646830600974071

Have you ever opened your eyes in the morning only to find that you’re permeated by anxiety?

It’s a distressing feeling. Especially when you’re not sure why it’s happening.

Today I want to explore the causes of morning anxiety and how you can stop it.

To begin, you should know that morning anxiety is common. So I hope you don’t feel like you’re the only poor soul in the world that has this problem. Waking up anxious isn’t some bizarre anomaly in this regard.

After all, simply because you’ve fallen asleep doesn’t mean that your mind and body have stopped being affected by anxiety, rather while you’re asleep you’re merely unaware of it.

Imagine how much stress your under. How much fear, sadness, and uncertainty you’ve endured. How are you supposed to go through all that and not be affected by it?

The answer is you don’t.

I can remember that at the height of my anxiety I woke up anxious for weeks at a time. I’d sit up and the first thing I’d do is scan my brain and body for the telltale signs of anxiety.  And like clock work it was always there waiting for me. But I got through it.

The good news is that there’s no mystery as to why this happens. The cause of morning anxiety can be attributed to 3 key things:

1. Stress hormones
2. Anticipatory anxiety
3. Sensitization

Now, I don’t want to gloss over the fact that there can be, and indeed there are, more reasons for morning anxiety. What I’m saying is that these are the core reasons.

You can also do a lot to counter morning nerves. There’s no need to allow this to continue indefinitely. Here’s a list of helpful counter measures:

Solutions for Morning Anxiety

1. Aerobic & Anaerobic exercise
2. Yoga
3. Progressive muscle relaxation
4. Magnesium supplements
5. Omega 3 fatty acids
6. Music therapy
7. Massage therapy
8. Vitamin C
9. Black tea
10. Crying
11. Laughing
12. Avoid Caffeine and excessive alcohol
13. Avoid illicit drugs
14. Get 6-8 hrs of sleep

To help me explain the three components of morning anxiety and their remedies I’ve produced a podcast that drills down to the granular details.

In this podcast I discuss:

1. Causes of morning anxiety
2. Calls from AG readers
3. Morning anxiety counter measures

Press play now

References

Gauthier, A., Chevrette, T., Bouvier, H., & Godbout, R. (2009). Evening vs. morning wake EEG activity in adolescents with anxiety disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(1), 112-117. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.04.005

Zubin Bhagwagar, Sepehr Hafizi, Philip J. Cowen. Psychopharmacology. New York: Oct 2005. Vol. 182, Iss. 1; p. 54
Psychopharmacology (2005) 182: 54–57
DOI 10.1007/s00213-005-0062-z

Portella, M., Harmer C., Flint J., Cowen P., & Goodwin G. (2005). Enhanced Early Morning Salivary Cortisol in Neuroticism. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(4), 807-9.  Retrieved July 30, 2011, from ProQuest Psychology Journals. (Document ID: 825414381).

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/stresscortisol.html

I recently opened up the AG phone line and the first question is in.

The question comes from Casey and she wants to know about anxiety during pregnancy and how anxiety might effect her ability to raise a child.

This is an excellent and profound question on a lot of levels.

Do anxious people make good parents?  Is it a good or bad idea to have children when you suffer from long-term anxiety?

I think these are profound questions because to a certain extent many, if not most of us, long to be parents at some point in our lives.

Whether it’s because of a genetic drive, social pressure, or simply because we want to experience the joy of having a little one.  The feeling can be strong.

Of course, when you have an anxiety disorder things can get complicated.

As a prospective parent you’ll have to contend with your anxiety, worry, several risk factors, and balance all that on top of your day-to-day concerns.

To help Casey and others along in their decision to start a family I discuss several issues including:

1. Reasons why some woman fear pregnancy

2. The changes that pregnancy brings

3. Possible risks of an anxious pregnancy

4. Solutions

Luckily, I was able to dive into several research articles (grad school perk!) to get a good snap shot of what the consensus is on this topic.  I also drew on my own past experience as a young father with a serious anxiety issue.

So is it a good idea for anxious people to make babies?  Press play below and find out.

References

Bánhidy, F., Ács, N., Puhó, E., & Czeizel, A. E. (2006). Association between maternal panic disorders and pregnancy complications and delivery outcomes. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, 124(1), 47-52. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.04.013

Buist, A., Gotman, N., & Yonkers, K. (2011). Generalized anxiety disorder: Course and risk factors in pregnancy. Journal of Affective Disorders, 131(1-3), 277-283. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.01.003

Grant, K., McMahon, C., Reilly, N., & Austin, M. (2010). Maternal sensitivity moderates the impact of prenatal anxiety disorder on infant mental development. Early Human Development, 86(9), 551-556. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2010.07.004

Köken, G., Yilmazer, M., Cosar, E., Sahiın, F., Cevriıoglu, S., & Gecıcı, Ö. (2008). Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: Relationship with anxiety and depression. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 29(2), 91-95. doi:10.1080/01674820701733697

Martini, J., Knappe, S., Beesdo-Baum, K., Lieb, R., & Wittchen, H. (2010). Anxiety disorders before birth and self-perceived distress during pregnancy: Associations with maternal depression and obstetric, neonatal and early childhood outcomes. Early Human Development, 86(5), 305-310. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2010.04.004

Zelkowitz, P., & Papageorgiou, A. (2005). Maternal anxiety: An emerging prognostic factor in neonatology. Acta Paediatrica, 94(12), 1704-1705. doi:10.1080/08035250500355030

Have you ever tried to explain your fears about being anxious to someone and said something like, “I know I’m OK but…?”

On what probably feels like a thousand occasions you’ve said that you’re doing pretty good.

Yet inside you might still be holding on to lingering doubts about whether or not you’re going to survive your next bout of anxiety.

You’ve at times even convinced yourself that you’ll handle the next heart attack scare, panic attack, or uncontrollable eye twitch with a lion’s courage, that is, until it happens again and you start to feel like you’re coming apart at the seams.

I know this happens because it happened to me all the time, for years actually. I’d sit and pray, beg, and plead to just be OK.

It was never enough.

Today, I want to talk to you about your lingering doubt. What it means, why it’s always there, and how you can destroy it.

The Challenge

I’ve learned many lessons over the past decade as an anxiety sufferer.

Chief among those lessons was that I was always in doubt about my health, physical or mental, because I often reached conclusions about my health using my gut and not my head. You probably do the same thing.

That is a mistake we all make when we’re anxious.

We use our feelings to gauge how safe we are. We often assume that if we’re anxious we must also be in danger.

So often we throw logic out the window, or worse yet, we don’t even invite it to the party when we try to cope with our deepest fears. But, of course, this isn’t because we want it to be this way.

The challenge is to break this habit.

The Solution

The way to change this is to first be aware that it’s a problem for you. I think a lot of us would like to think that we”ll be OK if we simply keep telling  ourselves that enough times.

The trick though, is to do that, but in a way that is believable to your anxious brain.

Anxiety hates logic. Because when you rely on logic to reach conclusions anxiety doesn’t have enough power to misdirect you. It simply can’t overcome straight thinking.

So I want to show you how you can trick your brain into doing what you’ve been praying for it to do for a long time.

I don’t want to bore you to tears with a long treatise, so I’ve produced a podcast to lay out the plan.

In this podcast I discuss:

1. Emotional Reasoning
2. Why Emotional Reasoning is so powerful
3. And how you can overcome it

Press play to listen now.

Question: Do you often rely on feelings to know if you’re OK? Comment below.

References:

1. When Head and Heart Do Not Agree: A Theoretical and Clinical Analysis of Rational-Emotional Dissociation (RED) in Cognitive Therapy. Richard Scott. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy. New York: 2007. Vol. 21, Iss.1; pg. 37, 14.

2. Anxiety Disorders: Why they Persist and How to Treat them. David Clark. Behavior Research and Therapy 37 (1999) S5-S27.

All right, all right… I know this post might only appeal to the drinkers among you, but I just had to do a podcast on this topic.

Today, I want to do more than just answer the question: Why does alcohol cause anxiety?

I want to get into details, motives, and provide you with some information that I hope will help you to avoid the panic and worry associated with alcohol related anxiety.

The deal is, I wrote about this topic a long time ago and it has become the most popular article on Anxiety Guru Dot Net, so elaborating on the original article just made sense to me.

So recently I did a little recon and went through every single comment on the old article to gain some insight.

I wanted to know a few things like: What drives people to drink when they know they’re going to pay the price the next day? Among other things.

The answer lies in a well-known fact that everyone likes to ignore. And, of course, there’s more.

But instead of hashing this out in text, I produced a new podcast to bring this topic to life. See, day after day, week after week, this topic gets the most views, comments, and emails.

So I thought, why the hell don’t I have a podcast dedicated to this problem?

In this episode I discuss:

1. Why alcohol causes anxiety.
2. How to drink alcohol and avoid anxiety.
3. How I overcame my own alcohol phobia.
4. And why people drink alcohol despite the anxiety it causes.
   

So, here it is.

Please comment below. You know you want to!

Today, I get personal.

But it’s not because I’m looking for undue attention, it’s because I thought it was the best way to describe how anxiety can come between you and the people you love.

I also wanted to show you how you can overcome this phenomenon.

At the height of my anxiety my wife and had problems, to say the least. I often had my head in the clouds and did nothing but complain about my anxiety.

Eventually my wife and I ended up in a cold war of sorts. Unable to come together fully, but still had to try and find ways to deal with one another that didn’t involve anger or heartache.

In the end, we got to a place where anxiety no longer took a toll on our relationship. The road there was messy and didn’t have marked lines, but we relied on a few things that brought us together and today I want to share with you what those things were.

To You and Your Loved One(s)

1. Be Honest

Honesty is crucial for any relationship. Lose this and you will have problems. With respect to anxiety, it’s important to be honest about how you both feel about the situation. How it’s affecting you and what things you’d like to change.

This isn’t about being hurtful or mean spirited, but it is about setting clear expectations so there is no confusion as to what you want from your loved one and visa versa.

2. Show Empathy

To lessen the effect of anxiety on your relationship it’s helpful to see the situation from the other person’s perspective. How do they feel? What are they dealing with on a daily basis?

Being empathetic allows you to lower your agitation and anger meter because you’ll be able to identify with the other person’s concerns. And by doing that you’ll see that you’re not always in the right! It also sets the stage for compromise and cooperation, both of which are also key to jumping the hurdle of long term anxiety.

3. Be Understanding

It’s important to note that as an anxiety sufferer you are going through a lot, but that doesn’t mean that you’re the only one suffering. Anxiety really can be a family affair and affects everyone close to you.

At the same time, it’s also important for loved ones to realize that this isn’t a fake illness. Anxiety disorder is real and it hurts. It’s important to respect the concerns and fears of an anxiety sufferer because for them there isn’t anything more real or potentially harmful. Ultimately, this isn’t easy on anyone.

For Loved Ones

1. Use Positive Language

Anxiety can be frustrating to deal with, so anger and frustration can certainly take over. When that happens you might say something, or use a certain tone, that just isn’t going to help or might even create new issues.

Being honest with someone doesn’t require callousness or verbal abuse. You can be honest, compassionate, and helpful by using sympathetic language that is sincere above all else. Show them you care and try not to let your negative emotions or impatience get the better of you.

2. Be Ready to Problem Solve

Speaking of being kind, being gentle and reassuring is a great way to help your anxious love or family member, but that’s not all that’s needed. Anxiety makes it hard to use logical thinking, so at times you’ll have to not just offer emotional support, but also suggest and assist with a plan of action.

You gotta ask yourself, “What are we doing to end this anxiety business?” If the answer to that question is nothing then this has to change. In other words, offer that verbal support, but also talk about what can actually be done toward resolving the problem.

3. Get Educated

One of the most important things you can do is to get educated. People with anxiety require a lot of support, but it’s difficult to provide useful help if you don’t know what you’re up against.

Not only that, as the calmer of the two, it’s likely that you’ll receive the same information differently, perhaps allowing you to explain the problem and its solution in easy to understand terms. It also allows to you to offer more than one liners like, “You’ll be OK, don’t worry.”

Sometimes you have to be able to explain why they will be OK by describing how adrenaline works on the body or something along those lines. Being educated about anxiety just makes you a better source of calm and security.

For the Anxiety Sufferer

1. Don’t be Selfish

Although you’re not doing it on purpose, you’ve got to realize that you’re being self-centered at times. Anxiety certainly has the capacity to make you get lost in worry and self-reflection, but you can resist this tendency by purposefully doing things with your loved ones.

Go places, join in activities, make plans for others to join you. In short, be social and don’t allow anxiety to isolate you from those around you.

2. Stay Under Control

Having anxiety isn’t a license to act out. So you don’t want to do negative things then blame your anxiety for it. Not cool.

3. No Complaining

One of the hallmarks of being an anxious person is constant complaining. Seriously, if complaining were an Olympic sport then the gold, silver, and bronze would go to anxious people.

Although you might have an urge to complain, it’s a much better idea to keep it to a minimum. Firstly, you have to train yourself to deal with episodes of anxiety given that someone isn’t always going to be there to calm you down.

Second, you don’t want to put undue stress on your loved one(s) and make them feel like a broken record.

Try to reserve complaining for times when you know you’re in trouble and are on the verge of, or in a panic. Otherwise you run the risk of crying wolf and desensitizing everyone around you to your bouts of anxiety.

You want your loved ones to be there for you, paying attention and ready to help. If you complain too much those around you might start saying things like, “Oh boy here we go again, humdrum.” Keep the anxiety special so to speak.

4. Take Responsibility

In the end, you have to take responsibility for getting better. It’s wonderful when loved ones can help out, but realize that you’re the one that has to do the hard work. No one else can heal you but you.

It’s also helpful to take responsibility for healing because if you’re loved ones see you trying to get better then it makes it more likely that you”ll keep their support and won’t get lost in arguments or bitterness connected to anxiety related behavior.

Remember, when those around you see you putting up a good fight then it is more likely that they’ll join in on your behalf.

Conclusion

It can be easy to get angry at an anxious person, or to have anxiety and feel alienated. But that’s why it’s important to not let anxiety come between you. You’re far better off working together, as a team, to get this situation under control.

Now, like I said at the outset of this post, today I get personal. Didn’t do that in this article because that would have turned into a book, so instead my wife joined me on the most recent episode of the Anxiety Guru Show.

In this podcast we talked about all the issues I mentioned above and about how we dealt with anxiety as a couple. I hope that us sharing our experiences will help you in your quest to strengthen your relationships.

Press play now to listen.

Note: You can also find the Anxiety Guru Show on iTunes.

music by DoKashiteru.
photo credit: Going to STATE Teamwork by Josephgilbert.org.
Special Thanks to Bryan3000

Right now you’re enduring a lot.

You’re trying to live your life while you also navigate the difficulties of anxiety.

Today, I want to share with you how you can do that better, so you can begin your journey toward recovery.

Now, I know that sometimes you feel like you’re hanging on by the thinnest of threads and that at any moment that thing is going to snap, sending you spiraling into madness, or something like that.

Let me just say this: That ain’t gonna happen.

I can tell you what will happen though. You’ll continue to think that this is a possibility and as a result you’ll stay locked into a state of fear. That is, until you adopt a new attitude.

Instead of just slogging your way through anxiety helplessly,what’s needed is an attitude shift from being a passive receiver of fear and terror, to taking on an attitude of a tenacious seeker of peace.

To get this done you’ll have to persevere to be sure, but you’ll have to do so intelligently. You’ll have to not just endure pain, panic, and hardship, but you’ll need to do all of that with a goal and a plan.

In short, you’ll need perseverance, focus, and a chief aim to attain freedom from abnormal anxiety.

Perseverance is something that lies in all of us. It’s always there ready to be used. So the problem isn’t that you can’t persevere, or that you can’t endure your situation, the problem is that you’re enduring all of this without a plan and with the wrong frame of mind.

The thing is that you’re not going to win any medals for just withstanding anxiety. So why do that? Aren’t you ready to break this cycle of fear and worry? I’d say that you are.  So to help you get into the right frame of mind I’ve produced a new podcast just for this occasion.

In this podcast I discuss:

1. The importance of persistence and goals.
2. How to apply perseverance intelligently
3. How to change your frame of mind
4. And tons of real world examples.

Press play now to listen.

music by DoKashiteru.
photo credit: Alpine Einsatzubung
Winter 08 by oe2azm.