Anxiety always makes things seem ten times worse than they are. A glitch with our mobile phone/cellphone becomes a major crisis. A new boss means we're certain to lose our job. And a bad headache must be a tumour. We're all very good at convincing ourselves of the worst case scenario. That's the nature of the beast.
As time goes by, our worry makes the headache worse. We're our own worst enemy, we're brilliant at convincing ourselves that this is something serious: we're so creative and inventive at frightening ourselves half to death. And fear is the factor that makes anxiety stay and delays recovery.
To show exactly what's meant by this, start concentrating on one of your back teeth. There's nothing wrong with your back tooth of course but start imagining you've got the beginning of toothache. Imagine the dull ache is beginning to start. Keep testing for the pain, imagine the root is starting to throb, keep coming back to it.
And I can almost guarantee that before very long you will feel a dull ache coming from that tooth. We are true masters of imagining the worst.
Just think what could be achieved if instead of always expecting the worst we start expecting the best instead. Today I will leave the house without experiencing bad feelings. Today I will go to work and be free of the non-cardiac chest pains, the churning stomach, the fear I'm going to die some time soon. And if I do feel a twinge or two well it's certainly not as bad as it was yesterday and I'll just accept it for the time being and get on with my life.
More positive expectations can work like a tonic on tired minds and jangled nerves.
