Focusing Tip #698 – Focusing with anxiety turns into a sense of confidence
Wouldn’t it be great to have a feeling of confidence that you can meet all challenges? Read on…
Jen writes:
I just wanted to let you know about what happened recently when I did Focusing with the ‘whole’ thing about uncertainty. I sat with the part of me that felt anxious about what might happen next.
I kept that part company just the way it was. I said to it: No wonder you feel that way!
After some time, I started to feel something like a subtle sense of excitement in my chest. Just a very small sensation. I welcomed it with curiosity.
As I stayed with that, it seemed to blossom into a sort of sense of confidence.
The feeling was: As more challenges come, the ‘more’ of me is there to meet them.
This felt good and I let my body receive and enjoy the good feeling.
I have felt quite confident since then. Confident that I have within me the means to meet life whatever curve balls it throws. Isn’t it great how Focusing can help us feel more alive and more confident?
Dear Jen:
It certainly is!
And thank you SO much for sharing your story! It’s a vivid illustration of something amazing about Focusing that seems paradoxical at first:
That if you want to increase your positive feelings, like confidence, calm, even joy… the way to do it is to turn toward your other feelings with a welcome for them to be exactly as they are.
Jen knew that the anxious feeling was a part of her, not all of her.
She kept it company (felt it in her body) just the way it was. She said to it, “No wonder you are feeling anxious!”
The next step was the most interesting… She let go of all assumptions and expectations, and just kept her awareness in her body, sensing…
After a while, she became aware of a subtle feeling of excitement in her chest. And she stayed with that. That’s what blossomed into a sense of confidence.
You can’t make that up!
It’s a trustworthy process… and it depends on developing the skill of staying in contact with yourself without evaluating, figuring out, or jumping to conclusions. That skills can be developed with practice… and stories like Jen’s can be an inspiration!
