Tag: Anxiety

Letting Go Of Should

~ Majella ~ 6 Comments

So many of us live with an underlying sense that we are not enough. We believe that if only we were smarter, more disciplined, or more lovable, we’d finally be at peace. Yet the real prison is not our imperfections, but the belief that we should be perfect.
~ Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance

These words strike close to my heart. I know the weight of striving, the ache of not believing I’m enough. This quote reminds me, and maybe you too, that peace isn’t found in perfection, but in softening towards ourselves.

~ Image credit: tam with a cam on Unsplash

The Wisdom Of Control

~ Majella ~ Leave a comment

In My Control
My boundaries
My responses
My energy
My attitude
My self-talk
Processing emotions
The way I speak
The way I treat others
Who I choose to spend my time with

Out Of My Control
Aging
The Past
Other’s opinion of me
What others say about me
The way people treat me
The way people speak to me
Time
Outcomes
The future
External events
Other people’s beliefs/behaviours

~ Adam Grant

~ Image credit: Andy Chilton on Unsplash

Listening to Anxiety

~ Majella ~ 3 Comments

When I tolerate anxiety, it’s like letting that part of me have a voice, listening to it and validating it. Once it’s been heard, it doesn’t need to shout at me anymore. And that’s the moment the feeling of anxiety starts to subside.
~ Sheila Bayliss, Mindfulness Teacher

Over the years, Sheila Bayliss’s words have become a quiet mantra for me. Last night, when panic crept in with its familiar urgency, I remembered to pause. I said to myself, “There’s anxiety here.” That simple acknowledgment began a softening. I noticed where anxiety sat—in my chest, my breath, my head, my thoughts. I placed a gentle hand over my heart and with curiosity and care, I listened. The shouting quietened. I share this not as a medical professional, but as someone who has walked beside anxiety for decades. It takes time and practice to learn to meet anxiety not with fear, but with care, curiosity and gentleness.

Medical Disclaimer:
This blog post shares personal reflections on my lived experience with anxiety and panic attacks. It is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a qualified health professional for diagnosis, treatment, or support with mental health conditions.

~ Image Credit: Simon Launay on Unsplash

Let Go Of The Battle

~ Majella ~ 3 Comments

Let go of the battle.
Breathe quietly and let it be.
Let your body relax and your heart soften.
Open to whatever you experience without fighting.
~ Jack Kornfield, from A Path with Heart

Stop trying to heal yourself, fix yourself, even awaken yourself. Let go of letting go. Stop trying to fast-forward the movie of your life, chasing futures that never seem to arrive. Instead, bow deeply to yourself as you actually are. Your pain, your sorrow, your doubts, your deepest longing, your fearful thoughts ….. They are asking to be held. Here, now, lightly, in the loving arms of present awareness.
~ Jeff Foster, British Writer & Speaker

~ Image: congerdesign on Pixabay