Worry

This blog is in honor of focusing on the present and releasing worry. Worry focuses on the negative events that could or might happen in the future. It is useful to be aware of what I am afraid of underneath the obsessive thinking of worry. Right now I am worried about the election. I have been entertaining the possibility that it won't turn out how I want it to and worrying about that. My stomach gets tense and it is hard to breath. Being aware of my fear and feeling it with the intention of releasing it really helps. Space in my body gets created by breathing into the sensation I am having right now. I breathe into my fear and show up for myself with it. I say, "I am here for you with your fear." Embracing myself with my fear, the part of me that can witness the fear and disidentify with it as who I am, gets brought to my awareness. Being present with what is moves me back from the future. As I breathe my stomach can begin to release and my breath becomes deeper and slower. There is something about bringing compassionate direct awareness to fear that allows it to release. Clamping down and resisting the fear often looks like worry. Worry is fear with a story. By going underneath the story that the worry tells, my attention can shift to comforting myself with conscious awareness. It's OK to be afraid. Being with the sensation of the fear allows me to move beyond it to the place where I know everything will be OK. When I know everything will be OK regardless of the outcome I can be less attached to the outcome. That gives me space to focus on what I want to happen without desperation. Desperation is worry with a stronger story. So when I feel the web of worry spinning, I can bring my attention away from the story and go down into my body to focus on the experience I am having. I can focus on centering myself within my circle and bring life force to myself with my breath. That allows me release my fear and to remember my vision. I then have space to focus on seeing my vision of how I want this election to turn out from a place that isn't fear-based. From that place I know that the outcome isn't in my control. I can want what I want and envision that and it builds my trust that my being out of control is actually a good thing. What a relief that I'm not in charge. I am only in charge of where I put my attention and discerning the difference in my quality of life depending on my choices. May the awareness of the force of the present moment be with you. What are you worried about? Would you be willing to go under the story?