Learning How To Handle Anxiety
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Learning How
To Deal with Anxiety
Meditation
"(6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." [Philippians 4:6 NASB]
C.A.L.M.
Celebrate God’s goodness. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (v. 4).
Ask God for help. “Let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6).
Leave your concerns with him. “With thanksgiving . . .” (v. 6).
Meditate on good things. “Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise” (v. 8 NCV).
Lucado, Max. Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World (pp. 9-10). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
Where we are going 1)What is Anxiety 2)What causes Anxiety 3)What can I do about being Anxious a)Physical Tools b)Mental/Emotional Tools c)Spiritual Tools 4)Questions 5)Conclusion
What is Anxiety?
What we understand we can cope with but what we don’t understand will drive us crazy.
What is Anxiety?
A state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties.
A state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a realistic or fantasized threatening event or situation, often impairing physical and psychological functioning.
What causes Anxiety
Allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles that we care about.
Imagining the future in its worst-case terms. In other words, imagining that a future situation or circumstance has the potential to cause you, or someone or something you care about, harm.
Our thoughts bring anxiety
So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
(Ecclesiastes 2:20-23)
How Philosophy Changed my life
Physical Tools
Deep Breathing Exercises
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Exercise
Medication?
Don’t use Alcohol
Don’t use illegal drugs
Exercise? How?
“5 X 30: Jog, walk, bike, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes.
Set small daily goals and aim for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts. It's better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes than to wait until the weekend for a three-hour fitness marathon. Lots of scientific data suggests that frequency is most important. ”
Exercise
“Find forms of exercise that are fun or enjoyable. Extroverted people often like classes and group activities. People who are more introverted often prefer solo pursuits.
Distract yourself with an iPod or other portable media player to download audiobooks, podcasts, or music. Many people find it’s more fun to exercise while listening to something they enjoy.”
Exercise
“Recruit an “exercise buddy.” It's often easier to stick to your exercise routine when you have to stay committed to a friend, partner, or colleague.
Be patient when you start a new exercise program. Most sedentary people require about four to eight weeks to feel coordinated and sufficiently in shape so that exercise feels easier.”
Mental & Emotional Tools
Journaling for Anxiety
Write out Emotions like a laundry list. Write out I remember feeling afraid when…
Write a letter to someone and never send it. Verbal vomit but don’t read this again.
Imagine yourself in a good future and interview yourself about how you got there.
Write out possible solutions for everything you are anxious about. Make a to do list.
Journaling
Imagine your best friend comes to you with exactly the anxiety you have. What would you tell them to do to become less worried and afraid.
Make a list of things that are good about your life and memories where you were happy and content. Remember your best moments of life.
Write out “I remember feeling happy when ….
Journaling
1. Start by journaling for 5 to 20 minutes a day.
2. Write about your concerns
3. Detail what is happening right now and what you fear will happen next.
4. What options do you have? List them?
5. Think Critically and argue with yourself
6. Generate a new story about your concern
7. If your worst fears came about what would you do?
Avoid Black and
White Thinking
Learn to think in “grey”
Accept you live “East of Eden”
Your Story/Your Life
WHAT ARE
YOU THINKING?
Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny!
Big Picture
Use Self Talk
Stop these thoughts are not good for me!
Pick Three Key Statements
I’m going to all right
Anxiety is not dangerous just uncomfortable
These feels will pass and I will be fine
I need to change the picture in my head. I need a new story right now.
My worst predictions rarely come true.
Live in the Present
Where am I right now – How old are you? What day is it? What is the time? What city are you in?
Take note of the sounds, sights, and feelings of this moment. Be alive only in this moment.
Accept this moment
Look for good in this moment
Take note of your thoughts at this moment (Journal)
Live one day at a time
Don’t live in the past or future
Jesus Said ….
"(25) "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (26) "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? (27) "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? ...
Jesus said ….
"(28) "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, (29) yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. (30) "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! (31) "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
Jesus Said ….
(32) "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (34) "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." [Matthew 6:28-34 NASB]
Two types of well being
Eudaimonic, which comes from having a deep sense of meaning and purpose in life and doing good for others – Love God & Love people
Hedonic, which grows out of self-gratification and pleasure-seeking.
How Do I Seek the Kingdom?
Find your passion
Give your time
Give money to groups with transparent aims & results
Integrate your interests and skills with the needs of others.
Be proactive and not reactive
Act out of vision and mission not guilt
Prayer of Release
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:4-7)
Positive Thinking
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:8-9)
Prayer of Lament
God can handle your sadness
and madness
Good Future
"(1) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (3) For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." [Colossians 3:1-4 NASB]
Kingdom Focused Thinking
Preach the Gospel to Yourself
God is good in Messiah Jesus
God is great in Messiah Jesus
God is full of grace in Messiah Jesus
God is with me in this world of grief and has shared in my grief in Messiah Jesus
God will use all my grief for good in Messiah Jesus. None of my pain will be without gain.
Whole Person Approach
Questions
Conclusion
Exercise five days a week
Learn to live “in the moment”
Journal
Prayer & Self Talk
Find your passion & give to others. Make the world a better place
Preach the gospel to yourself
Other ……..