Sunday, October 30, 2011

Nerved Up

Scarlet and I email or text each other a few times every day; mainly just to check in, or share funny stories of things that have happened at work or home. Inevitably, there's a line that comes up now and then during our quick conversations, and that line is the focus of today's entry: "I'm very nerved up today". Usually the other person will come back with "Why? What's bothering you?". Usually the next response is "I'm not really sure".

But alas....after years of writing this line, and decades of being friends, I believe we finally concluded that if we really think about it, and are honest with ourselves, we always really do know what is causing our anxiety.

So the other night when another dear friend of mine told me she was slipping back into the throws of sadness, anger, and crying, I thought of that line. I believe most of the time we really do know the root of our problem. Sometimes we deny it, or ignore it, or think it will miraculously cure itself, but it doesn't. It may go away for short periods of time, but after awhile it always rears it's ugly head again, and our anxiety and depression returns. Once again, we are nerved up....for "no reason".

Sometimes there's nothing we can do about that burden on our shoulders. Maybe it's something our kids are doing, or maybe it's the loss of a loved one. But sometimes, maybe....just maybe, that weight IS avoidable. Maybe it's fixable. Maybe we can eliminate it from our lives once and for all. What if we did let go of the albatross we carry around our neck? What a glorious feeling that would be!

So I guess my point today is that if you look deep inside and assess that which is causing your ongoing anxiety; think about what it would mean to eliminate that source of stress from your life. Sometimes it may seem too overwhelming--maybe even impossible. But maybe it isn't. Take a look at it from a new angle. Life is short my friends.

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