Anxiety has this way of bleeding in to every part of our lives and before we know it we are avoiding things that might trigger our anxiety. It feels counter intuitive, but gently ‘leaning in’ to those things that may make us anxious is the best way to work through it.
There is a careful balance between cruelly forcing yourself and compassionately encouraging yourself. A past client found attending lectures crippling, she avoided them but knew she was missing out. We slowly worked up a plan so she was able to go if she could and reward herself even if she tried. By gently ‘leaning in’ to what was uncomfortable she was able to attend a few lectures and challenge her anxiety.
I am a huge fan of gently noticing when something feels fearful and uncomfortable and asking yourself why this might be. By listening to ourselves we become more aware that anxiety is just another feeling and does not need to be overwhelming.