In my article on Taking Responsibility in our Success Newsletter I referred to a client that suffers from anxiety attacks and uses a technique to recognize when potentially debilitating anxiety is rising.  This technique halts the progress of the anxiety and allows her to take control of it.  In the article I use this as an excellent example of success characteristic I call taking responsibility. 

In this Blog I thought I’d share that technique with you.  She has taught me that an anxiety attack feels like it is sudden and immediate when in fact there are some warning signs.  There is a short window between the warning signs and the anxiety overtaking her existence.  In that short window she has learned the following visualization and affirmation.

In each of us there is a device that operates much like a smoke alarm.  When there is something dangerous that occurs around us it warns us.  It raises our awareness and our anxiety.  It pumps the adrenaline.  Only in her, as it was explained to her, the smoke alarm (read anxiety alarm) is faulty.  It is hypersensitive.  It doesn’t take a fire to set it off.  It only takes a little boiling water on the stove.

So, in that short window of time before the anxiety becomes debilitating, when she is still thinking clearly and she is getting the “smoke alarm” warning, she has learned to simply say to herself.  This is not a fire.  It’s just a little boiling water on the stove.  She reminds herself of the hypersensitivity of her early warning system.  She has taken responsibility and taken control of a very difficult challenge to her happiness and her success.  

One of my favorite expressions that I teach our coaches to convey to our clients as necessary is “Don’t be so fascinated with your thoughts and feelings.”  And the corollary, “Have your thoughts and feelings but don’t let them have you.”  This is extremely useful for all of us when negativity of any kind begins to creep into our heads and our hearts.  Finally, I say, “You can’t control what pops into your head or arises in your heart.  You can control whether you hold on to it or not.”  

Stay focused on and committed to your goals.  Keep perspective on your thoughts and feelings.