This article is based on prompt #5 from Lou Plummer’s 50 More Blogging Prompts
What gives me anxiety?
As a pedestrian, traffic gives me tremendous anxiety.
Cars, always rushing, always in a hurry, trying to get somewhere.
Never in the present moment, always trying to get somewhere.
It gives me that feeling of never having enough time.
They’re always rushing, trying to get things done.
They’re always nervous, pressured.
When crossing the street, it feels like I have to hurry up more than is comfortable for me.
It would be better if I flied over the crossing, no?
I can feel them pressuring me to cross already!
Writing about it brings my level of anxiety up just a notch.
What relieves my anxiety?
Writing on a piece of paper. I jot my anxiety-ridden thoughts on a piece of paper. I write them exactly as they are.
It’s a personal development technique I picked up from somewhere, a book or perhaps an interview I’ve watched.
I just write my current stream of consciousness. These thoughts – they often don’t make sense. But as I discard them on a piece of paper, my anxiety level goes down.
It’s like I’m casting them aside and purifying my body, my mind, my thoughts.
It’s the way I get back to myself. One of the ways, at least.
The other way I relieve anxiety is listening to the sound of water flowing.
There’s a river flowing through my city and everytime I can’t handle the traffic, I find my way back to the river side.
There are benches I can sit on near the water.
After I listen to the sound of water for 10-15 minutes, I get back to myself, the anxiety is gone.
That’s about it.
