Four Truths That Diminish Anxiety
By Embracing Difficult Truths, We Can Ward Off Anxiety In Our Lives
While harsh, facing life’s hard truths head-on ultimately sets us free from struggles with anxiety and worry. We realize that instead of being at the mercy of injustice and external forces beyond our control, we have power over our reactions, mindset, priorities, and path forward. Stepping into personal accountability and self-reliance allows us to take meaningful action and live intentionally.
We can control the healthy habits we build, the responses we choose, the relationships we invest in, and the goals we work toward daily. With resilience and flexibility, we can transform obstacles into opportunities for growth. By focusing only on what we can control and finding potential in the unexpected, we build the fulfilling lives we desire, unconstrained by bitterness and unrealistic expectations.
1. Life Isn’t Fair, So Focus On Making The Best Of Every Situation
We all expect life to be just. If we’re good people who work hard, things should turn out well for us. When life fails to meet our expectations of fairness, we become bitter, angry, and confused.
However, the cold, hard truth is that life has no obligation to be fair or make sense. Bad things happen to good people all the time. Criminals get away while innocent people suffer. Laziness and dishonesty often lead to success. There is no divine force ensuring justice.
While this seems disheartening, accepting it releases us from the expectation that life “should” be fair and frees us to make the best of every situation. Instead of lamenting injustice, we can take responsibility for controlling our reaction and response. We can spend our energy on constructive goals rather than dwelling on what should have been.
2. You Can’t Control Everything, So Focus Your Energy Wisely
It’s human nature to believe we have more control over outcomes than we genuinely do. If we plan thoroughly, work hard, or worry enough, we can control all results and bend life to our will.
In reality, there are many things entirely outside of our control. We can’t control natural disasters, the behavior of others, aging, illness, and scores of other external factors. No amount of effort gives us total mastery over the universe.
Accepting our lack of control is incredibly liberating. Instead of fruitlessly trying to micromanage everything, we can focus our energy only on what we can control: our attitude, thoughts, and actions. We can let go of frustration over the uncontrollable and take full responsibility for aspects of life within our power.
3. People Will Disappoint You, So Focus On The Reliable Ones
Because humans are imperfect creatures, we inevitably hurt and disappoint each other. The people we love and trust the most often let us down. They make mistakes, act selfishly, or betray us when we least expect it.
When our expectations of others go unmet, it’s easy to respond with rage, bitterness, and resentment. However, we must accept responsibility for our expectations. People do not owe us anything – not even meeting our standards of conduct.
With this in mind, releasing bitterness and offering forgiveness when people disappoint us is wisest. Rather than expecting perfection, we can accept flaws and focus on people who have proven trustworthy, reliable, and steady. We can also take the initiative to communicate clearly and repair broken relationships.
4. Things Won’t Always Go According To Plan, So Stay Flexible
Despite meticulous preparation, things rarely go exactly as we envision. Obstacles, delays, disruptions, and inconveniences are all inevitable parts of life. Even our best-laid plans go awry.
When this happens, we can stay paralyzed, wishing life had stuck to the plan or adapted and made the best of circumstances. Accepting that the unexpected will happen enables us to view obstacles as opportunities rather than defeats.
Remaining agile, flexible, and open-minded allows us to maneuver around roadblocks. We can stay focused on goals rather than specific rigid plans. With resilience and resourcefulness, we can create new projects and find alternate routes when the way ahead is blocked.
PORTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE COPIED WITH PERMISSION FROM JULIANNA SUMMERS.
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