Let’s make a 5 point action plan of how we can reduce anxiety about the situation. In this blog, we will cover the third point, Shift Perspective.
We all react differently to situations, based on our past experiences and beliefs. We all wear different colored glasses – one person might look at the coronavirus situation and say “This is terrible, we will never recover from this, all is lost!” Another person might say “It’s bad now, but we’ve overcome things like this before, this will pass!”
Anxiety can be tamed and reduced by being aware of our old perspectives, and embracing new ones that are conducive to positive mental health. This is sometimes called re-framing. This makes us more resilient because we take a calm reflective positive view on events. We can become aware of our dear beloved minds with compassion.
So what are the common perspectives and beliefs which might be causing you anxiety?
1.Eternalizing – when we have an issue in life, our minds often eternalize it, as if it will last forever. “Oh, this is going to be here forever! We won’t get through this! I can’t imagine ever not feeling like this!” The anti-dote here is to calm the mind and take a new perspective e.g. “This is a temporary situation, it too will pass.
2. Catastrophising – we don’t see the world the way it is objectively, we see it according to our filters, our sunglasses. The mind errs on the side of caution and creates worse case scenarios like “This is the end of the world! The financial markets will never recover! Instead we can recognize the mind’s over-protection, and take a new positive perspective.
3. Feeling Overwhelmed and helpless – “It’s all too much, I can’t handle it!” We often feel that we won’t have the resources to deal with the situation, which very much makes us feel the victim of it. But think of all the challenging situations you’ve had in your life. You overcome those and got through it, so you can with this too! So positivity is not about denying the challenge, but instead saying “Whatever happens, I will handle it”
