Give Anxiety a Purpose

Anxiety Doesn't Have To Bog You Down

One of my coaching clients experiences tremendous anxiety.

As a high performer, anxiety is a new experience for my client—an unknown and clearly unwanted feeling of dread and worry about what “could be.” It has been said that depression is sadness about the past, anxiety is worry for the future.

One thing I’ve learned through my own healing journey is that there are two root emotions—only two—and all other emotions are derivatives off those. Those two emotions are love and fear.

It may not be entirely clear why or how there are only two emotions, especially when you experience anger when somebody cuts you off in traffic, or sadness at the loss of a friend. But if you peel back the onion layers of emotion past those feelings of anger or sadness, for instance, you’ll find there’s an underlying fear of being disrespected by that other driver, or the fear of loneliness or disconnection after a loss.

Love and fear. That’s it.

The beauty about simplifying emotions is that love and fear cannot coexist, and that is the strategy you use to manage anxiety.