One of the visuals that I use to describe facing and allowing anxiety symptoms, is to “walk into the storm”. But what does this mean? What does walking into the storm really look like and feel like when you do it?
Imagine going outside in cold driving rain and sleet. The natural reaction is to screw up your face, duck down, hunch your shoulders around your neck, put your arms up and hurry through it trying to shield yourself from the unpleasantness of the cold wet wind and rain.
Imagine instead walking calmly out and letting the wind, rain, sleet drive into your face without resisting it. Imagine keeping a calm peaceful expression on your face, while you observe the impact of each individual drop of icy rain, the chilling effect of the wind on your skin, your clothes and hair getting wet and heavier, your body losing its heat.
Now imagine observing all this without judgment or resistance, knowing that it is not going to kill you, and that it is only temporary. Knowing that at some point in the future you are going to be dry and warm again. Could you actually walk slower and really let the storm do its thing?
Imagine relaxing your shoulders, your stomach muscles, letting go of any tension or resistance in your body. Imagine noticing any judgments and thoughts of wanting to escape the experience. Now imagine letting go of that mental resistance, surrendering as fully as you can, and letting time pass.
That is how you “walk into the storm”. But I can hear you saying: “Yes, I could do that, but my anxiety symptoms are much more unpleasant, much scarier than a little rain”. No arguments there. But that is all they are: unpleasant and scary. If you can walk into the storm of your symptoms in spite of the discomfort, in spite your fear, in fact taking your fear with you, then you will experience the magic of this approach.
It can be done. I’ve done it, and many others I have coached and witnessed recovering from anxiety have done it. Believe me, your anxiety is no different or worse. You can do it too.
There is peace and healing on the other side. The more often you walk into the storm, the more you heal those long-suppressed emotions. This will free you up to live your life without the burden of anxiety, and to be your authentic self.
