The Wisdom of Anxiety: How Worry and Intrusive Thoughts Are Gifts to Help You Heal

A counselor in the depth psychology tradition shows readers there's nothing to fear from anxiety “The Wisdom of Anxiety serves as a well-lit pathway to the truth of who we are and to how to navigate life when paralyzed by anxiety, depression, overwhelm, and a sense of hopelessness.” ―Alanis Morissette, singer-songwriter Work anxiety. Relationship anxiety. Social anxiety. World anxiety. Money anxiety. Health anxiety. How does reading those words make you feel? All too often, when we experience the things that give us anxiety, our first instinct is to try to run away or numb out from feeling them. But what if the unpleasant feelings you want to turn away from are actually vital sources of information about your well-being? In The Wisdom of Anxiety, counselor Sheryl Paul examines the deeper meaning of the racing thoughts, sweaty palms, and insomnia that accompany the uncertain moments of our lives. No one likes to feel anxiety―and yet, Paul asserts it can be a remarkably direct messenger of our subconscious. Here you will learn how you can pause and listen to your anxieties to discover inner truths that you’ve been avoiding. This lyrically written book not only considers the many forms anxieties can take, but also provides deep-dive practices for addressing them at their roots. Here you will learn: ? The nature of intrusive thoughts and how to manage them. ? How to explore states of loneliness, apathy, regret, and shame without being caught up in them. ? Feeling anxiety around feeling good? Discover why and what to do about it. ? How to cultivate your own loving inner parent. ? Why anxiety can arise from boredom and longing. ? How to create healthy and meaningful personal rituals to relieve anxiety. ? Navigating the many sources of anxiety in relationships. Whether it’s worry around raising children, nervousness about world events, or any other way anxiety manifests, The Wisdom of Anxiety can help you uncover the true source of your discomfort and find the rich self-knowledge within. List of Practices INTRODUCTIONAnxiety Is a Doorway PART ONEAnxiety and Its Messages 1Anxiety Defined and the Call to Turn Inward Symptoms of Anxiety Origins of Anxiety Anxiety Is Not a Game of Whac-A-Mole Four Key Elements: Curiosity, Compassion, Stillness, and Gratitude 2Two Cultural Messages That Create Anxiety: The Myth of Normal and the Expectation of Happiness The Myth of Normal The Expectation of Happiness There Are No Answers, Only Guideposts to Wisdom To Be Human 3Roadblocks to Healing The Character of Resistance Responsibility: The Key to Transformation The Escape Hatch of Perfection: A Way to Avoid Responsibility The Timeline of Healing 4Transitions The Three Stages of Transition The Transitions That the Culture Doesn’t Talk About 5Months and Seasons: Attuning to the Rhythms of the Year Autumn: The Season of Letting Go Winter: Season of Stillness and Gratitude Spring: The Season of Rebirth Summer: The Season of Celebration 6The Vulnerability of Being Present No Escape Hatch from Life The Fear of Feeling Too Good PART TWOThe Four Realms of Self: Healing Anxiety from the Ground Up 7The Seat at the Head of Your Table The Qualities of a Loving Inner Parent 8The Realm of the Body The Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Low Blood Sugar and Anxiety Food and Anxiety Alcohol and Anxiety Exercise Sleep Hormones 9The Realm of Thoughts Intrusive Thoughts and the Cognitive Manifestations of Anxiety Accessing the Choice-Point Developing Discernment: Whatever You Water Will Grow Symbols, Metaphors, and Dreams The Metaphor of Intrusive Thoughts Living with Uncertainty: The Call of Intrusive Thoughts 10The Realm of Feelings Anxiety Is a Placeholder for Feelings A Lifetime Habit of Avoiding Pain Early and Ancient Pain How Unshed Grief Morphs into Anxiety Turn to Face Your Fear Fundamental Human Feelings: Boredom and Loneliness 11Longing Root Versus Secondary Longing The Lives We Will Never Live The Wisdom of Longing 12The Realm of Soul The Well of Being The Essential Function of Healthy Rituals 13When Anxiety Heals Anxiety and Emptiness The Fruits of the Labor PART THREERelationships 14The Vulnerability of Connection 15The Romantic Connection What Is Relationship Anxiety? What Is Healthy Love? Fear Eyes or Clear Eyes: Love Is Not the Absence of Fear Key Concepts for Understanding Relationship Anxiety: Projection and the Pursuer-Distancer Syndrome 16Parenting in an Age of Anxiety Worry Is the Work of Parenthood Three Antianxiety Medications for Parents: Gratitude, Attunement, Taking the Long View Helping Children with Anxiety Teaching Kids to Feel Their Feelings Fully Loved Epilogue According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, as many as 40 million adults in the US suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder—and it's a growing issue for kids as well. For anyone troubled by obsessive thoughts, insomnia, and other manifestations of anxiety, counselor Sheryl Paul offers a shelter in the storm. In The Wisdom of Anxiety, Paul reveals that anxiety, like any emotion, is a signal—a clear bodily invitation to heal and renew your trust in your choices, self-image, and core values. Weaving together practical exercises, Jungian analysis, and lyrical personal stories, Paul offers drug-free approaches for accessing the gifts in different kinds of anxiety, including the existential anxiety around questions of the soul and spirit. The Wisdom of Anxiety also gives special attention to the anxiety summoned by life's transitions, from universal concerns like the change of the seasons to major events such as a career change, marriage, or pregnancy. No one likes to feel anxiety. But what if the unpleasant feelings you want to turn away from are actually vital sources of information about your well-being? With Sheryl Paul’s guidance in The Wisdom of Anxiety, you can find insight and peace in the midst of even your most agonizingly anxious moments.