Surrender to Acceptance

When you control what is possible and reasonable, you demonstrate discipline and determination. When you try to control the impossible and unlikely, you demonstrate desperation.

Anxiety often stems from this very struggle—the urge to control what is beyond your reach. In itself, anxiety is an adaptive phenomenon, preparing you to navigate daily life. However, when you attempt to suppress it at all costs, you not only hinder your ability to adapt but also create another obstacle.

Rather than seeking control over your anxiety, seek acceptance. This means allowing yourself to think and feel whatever arises, even when it is uncomfortable.

When you try to suppress anxious thoughts, you create a problem greater than the thoughts themselves—leading to procrastination, fear, withdrawal, and despair. This, in turn, can give rise to pathological anxiety and coping mechanisms such as alcoholism or compulsive shopping.

Recognising yourself as an anxious person is probably quite different from the advice you've received before. But it works—and it plays a vital role in managing anxiety.

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