CONTENTS
Undifferentiated, unclarified nonsense
There is no escape, but there is a gentle handling
Mostly just "conjured up"
"You're covered! So relax!
you caused it; you can 'uncause it'
It means nothing in most cases; just choose
The affirmation/self-statement
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"Discomfort is simply a body sensation. Nothing more. Simply note it, decide if a response is needed, and let the rest just pass. It is no big deal."
The BuddhaKahuna
The body/mind motivates us through chemicals. The uncomfortable ones are emitted to get you back in line with survival, to correct what is going on.
If you have general anxieties, there is nothing go on in the real world, but you will experience discomfort because of the anxiety signals, which tell the mind there is something amiss. We either solve the problem underlying the anxiety (and define what we are anxious about, if it is "vague") or we don't.
Fairly often, we in our society have some anxiety going on (needlessly), so we feel discomfort. And we are designed to deal with the discomfort (to correct the condition). So it takes our attention, unless we minimize it and/or dismiss it as minor and tell ourselves that we can go on and do something more valuable (since we might as well have some anxiety and choose to get something done instead of having the anxiety and choosing to get nothing done, other than perhaps a distraction to seek relief for the moment).
Those who make a big deal out of generalized anxiety do not succeed well, as it is forefront in the mind and they must spend time trying to adjust the body (to "survive", in the mind's version). Those who do succeed put something on the mind and tell themselves it is to be done. There may be slight resistance, due to the mind trying to seek better functioning balance (homeostasis), but there is more satisfaction in moving forward toward getting done what one must do or wants to do.
The choice is between being run by a little discomfort or tolerating it for a greater positive emotion of getting something done. (Of course
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UNDIFFERENTIATED, UNCLARIFIED NONSENSE
When we are unaware and lacking in power and/or perspective, everything seems to be a threat, and often an undifferentiated threat, where everything seems to be a really really big deal. But "seems to be" is not the same as "is, in reality." It is a misinterpretation. And when anything like that occurs it is incumbent upon us to seek clarity, for clarity causes what is untrue to disappear, as sure as shining light on a ghost causes it to disappear.
As a baby/child, we can't differentiate (calibrate) how big a threat something is and we will include almost anything that we are not accustomed to, that is not clear to us, as a threat. The process of growing up includes learning how to differentiate (calibrate) the size of the threat and whether it is a threat. Some of this occurs automatically, but some doesn't. So we must create the clarity needed, on our own, through a reasoning process - there is no other way, and you should not expect a magical resolution will happen - don't leave those unclarified illusions of threat around as they are like barking dogs (that are, however, an illusion, held as being real!).
It is incumbent upon you to reason out any remaining seeming threats that are outside the range of actual physical harm.
THERE IS NO ESCAPE, BUT THERE IS A GENTLE HANDLING
There is no escape. You live in a body and it has evolved to respond to discomfort in order to better survive.
But fortunately a brain that is capable of discerning at a higher level has also evolved.
And we can choose to use our heads when it is appropriate, to discriminate and decide rationally.
There is a discomfort in the form of hungry, sore, dizzy, tired. And all we need to do is 1. look at it and 2. decide the appropriate action (eat, rest, breathe, relax, etc.). If it is a "struggle" for you, then you need to practice in order to develop new behavior (to build a muscle) and you need to decide ahead of time what to do and equip yourself for battle when the illuionar enemy pops up.
MOSTLY JUST "CONJURED UP"
Except in actual illness cases, most of our "discomfort" is created from conjuring up ghosts and illusory fears, especially "what ifs" and "might just happen"s. Knowing that thoughts are just thoughts will cause us not to create this chemical response. We create "discomfort" in the form of anxiety because we are tensing against a potential threat, one that doesn't exist. When we get really good at this, we tense up because we just know we are going to tense up and/or feel tense and miserable most of the time.
But most of the time, other than our brain, there is almost nothing going on physically and nothing actually (in a threat sense) going on in the real world. So there is no need to tense up. "I know that I create my own discomforts needlessly, so I choose to no longer do that. I am safe."
"YOURE COVERED!" SO RELAX!
Know that you have evolved with an automatic system that is always operational and you don't need to sit there ready to pull the trigger. Your startle response will happen automatically beyond your control. You will jump out of the way of an approaching vehicle or person automatically, but you can't prime yourself to do that. It is beyond your control - and it is all ready to fire off on its own.
If there is a physical threat (an actual one!), your body will prepare itself for fight, flight, or freeze. And, if it's not something you have time to think about, you'll be off and running, like a shot!
If you've not eaten enough in a while, a hunger signal will come up and you can respond to it. If you're thirsty, you will get the signal. There is no major physical threat that you do not respond to automatically, with at least a sufficient signal in the non-emergency situations.
You are covered and basically safe.
You need not prepare for any of those, as you will be primed at the time - count on it 100%! You're protected. You're safe (except obviously for something outside of your control, which of course you can't prepare for and need not have any concern about, as there is nothing to be done; you will, at some time, die and that is unpreventable, so we need not have any concern about that either, though we can still do some actions in order to increase our likely longevity).
YOU CAUSED IT; YOU CAN "UNCAUSE IT"
Yes, if you tense up, your body will seek, as it has evolved to do, to return to homeostasis (comfortable balance) and you'll feel discomfort (to motivate to action).
But, if you've determined there is no long term physical effect, there is no need to hold onto the tensing and you can just let the discomfort feeling be, as you'll survive and be just fine.
Let it be for 12 minutes and almost always it will disappear. If not, simply do deep breathing, progressive relaxation/tensing, and/or rest (after doing the progressive relaxation/tensing first). Also, I'll add that it is helpful if you have a list of soothing statements ready to tell yourself. (Soothing statements are part of the Coping Statements section.)
I repeat: unless there is an actual physical threat that you have determined to respond to with a specific action, you simply need to stop and breathe, going into the relaxation response, until you feel relieved (and with no ice cream! Believe it or not breathing and relaxing is just as, if not more, relieving, with no side effects!).
IT MEANS NOTHING IN MOST CASES; JUST CHOOSE
We are "too sensitive" to a few uncomfortable body sensations, plus we misinterpret them, and complicate thing by responding inappropriately. We mostly just respond automatically as if we were some automaton, with a predetermine response program. Developing a different habit is, I think, imperative for our well-being.
The first new practice to help us develop a different habit, as in any discipline, is to simply "be" with the discomfort. In doing this, you might say "I see this body sensation. It is just a body sensation. I simply note whether it is indicative of something I should do, such as a hunger feeling or a low energy feeling where I should eat or drink a bunch of water? Am I tired such that I should rest? Do I need to relax and de-tress myself right now?"
You either answer yes or no.
If yes, you do the appropriate action.
If no, you simply wait for 12 minutes before acting on it (though it will often disappear by then). That's all for now. as we are just trying to develop one new action discipline/habit at a time. You can still go ahead and do the same inappropriate thing (such as eating ice cream) but just 12 minutes later - having learned you can survive just fine with discomfort. In fact, you could read a book, go for a walk, or do something for 12 minutes, using a timer alarm if you wish. See The Great Timer Tool. Do this practice at least for 28 days.
You might also find it a good time to just breathe in deeply or even to meditate. (This is like using the discomfort as a trigger to do a healthy practice!) In meditation, you might think "I see the discomfort. It is only a chemical showing up as a body sensation about which I have a thought. I looked and it has no meaning for anything I need to do that is vital physically. All is well."
Or simply affirm "I am the one in charge here, not some discomfort feeling. It is harmless and I will let it pass, as I would a fart in the wind."
THE AFFIRMATION/SELF-STATEMENT
"I know that 99+% of the time, my body is either telling me I need to eat, drink, or rest or it's telling me I need to relax. I know how to respond and I will do so rather than use artificial substitutes that usually cause a side effect."
"This is simply a body sensation and there is no need to respond to it. Just let it go..."
Note: If one wishes to be effective in life, one must complete one's thinking on a concern area, seeing the truth or non-truth of it AND then completing the process by writing out a true statement to affirm what is so - and then repeat it until installed into memory (and repeatable if I asked you what it was).
SOME RELEVANT SELF-CONVERSATIONS
Yes, right now I am feeling some anxiety. What am I anxious about? Is it serious or a nothing. If it is serious, I will write it down and address it and solve it as best I can.
I'm ok. There is nothing really going on right now. I know I will handle whatever comes up as best I can.
So,
