anxiety much?

Do you ever wake up in the morning with a feeling like you have missed something, slept in, forgotten something or just have a serious case of anxiety?
Well, this morning I did, and it was a horrible feeling! It was no way to start the day, that is for sure.
I felt like I was late for something or was going to be in trouble for something.
The weird thing was that there was nothing of the sort. I was still up before my alarm clock and I had packed and organized myself for the day, the night before.
I lay there for a couple of minutes to try to calm down, but it was not working! I tried deep breathing, I tried relaxing my muscles, I tried positive self talk, I repeated a calming mantra. It wasn't until I got up and started moving that the feeling started to dissipate.
What did I ultimately learn from this situation? That not everything that happens has a clear and distinct reason that led to it happening. And the things that one might think will work to counteract or diminish its effects do not always work.
So what then?
Well, from my personal experience - just getting going on SOMETHING, ANYTHING, usually works.
When I get uptight or anxious about a project, or a deadline, or a daunting task that is coming up in my future, the one and only thing that always seems to calm me down, is just to get going and work towards it.
If I have a deadline and don't even know where to start - I just have to start somewhere. Even the wrong plan of action will get me closer to the right one.
Surely this has happened to all of us, where we feel anxious about a looming commitment or an upcoming event. The best way to dissipate the feelings of unease is to either work towards the ultimate goal with actual tangible work (ie start the introduction of a paper that is due next week) or if it does not require immediate action (such as a date you are nervous for) begin to imagine what it will be like to be there and how wonderfully calm you will be during.
Our minds do not know the difference between imagined and reality - if we can visualize it in our minds eye, it is as good as true. So if you are worried about something that you have no control over in the immediate time (such as a job interview or a date you are finding out your test results) imagine that it is that time, and that you are there in that situation, and start to create in your mind what you want the outcome to be. Obviously you cannot control the outcome always, but perhaps you can learn to react in a better way when that time comes.
For example, imagine yourself in that interview, feeling calm, relaxed, confident and smiling. Imagine the interviewer making you feel at ease and thinking you are perfect for the job. Even if that is not the case at the actual time, you cannot necessarily do anything about their reactions to you, all you can control is you. So imagine who you want to be, how that will look, and how that will feel.
So next time you feel that anxious feeling - just get going. Either take immediate action towards getting to your destination, or simply imagine and visualize the outcome the way you want it. Both will work.
In the meantime - don't fret!
Have a great day,
Namaste