A quick reminder of some basics of Systems Theory.
1. Chronic Anxiety spreads in 4 spaces.
2. God exists and moves freely in those 4 spaces.
3. Anxiety tends to block our awareness of God.
4. Awareness of God's presence and goodness tends to cast out anxiety.
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1. Chronic Anxiety spreads in 4 spaces.
2. God exists and moves freely in those 4 spaces.
3. Anxiety tends to block our awareness of God.
4. Awareness of God's presence and goodness tends to cast out anxiety.
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Chronic anxiety is a specific form of anxiety. It is generated by:
- False belief.
- False need.
- Assumptions.
Other forms of anxiety: PTSD, Grief, Generalized Anxiety, act differently and require different tools - often specialized professional attention and medicine.
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- False belief.
- False need.
- Assumptions.
Other forms of anxiety: PTSD, Grief, Generalized Anxiety, act differently and require different tools - often specialized professional attention and medicine.
2/
So expecting the tools for Chronic Anxiety to help, say, PTSD won't work.
However....
Chronic anxiety is the most common and pervasive form of anxiety flooding leaders and parents.
We carry SO MUCH pressure, expectation, assumption.
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However....
Chronic anxiety is the most common and pervasive form of anxiety flooding leaders and parents.
We carry SO MUCH pressure, expectation, assumption.
3/
We battle a fierce inner critic, a strong 'never good enough, never get the satisfaction of hitting the target,' imposter syndrome, people's unattainable expectations.
All of this forms Chronic Anxiety: false need, false belief, assumptions.
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All of this forms Chronic Anxiety: false need, false belief, assumptions.
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The evidence that we are filled with chronic anxiety isn't 'worry' and 'fear,' it is reactivity.
Reactivity can look like: needing the last word, explaining yourself more to someone who misunderstands, crashing on the couch, secret destructive habits, anger fantasies
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Reactivity can look like: needing the last word, explaining yourself more to someone who misunderstands, crashing on the couch, secret destructive habits, anger fantasies
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...trying to worry your way to peace, trying to win them over, doing it well, but carrying a low grade disappointment in yourself.
Disappointment is a stupid word and is hard to spell.
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Disappointment is a stupid word and is hard to spell.
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Chronic anxiety's sources are usually:
- needing to be in control
- needing to know the answer
- needing to always be there for people
- needing to do it perfectly
- needing approval from others.
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- needing to be in control
- needing to know the answer
- needing to always be there for people
- needing to do it perfectly
- needing approval from others.
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Always in control, perfect, always there for people, knowing everything, approving people.
Does this remind you of anyone?
We get chronically anxious when we try to replicate the attributes of God.
The first temptation ever offered to people, 'you can be like God.'
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Does this remind you of anyone?
We get chronically anxious when we try to replicate the attributes of God.
The first temptation ever offered to people, 'you can be like God.'
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When we try, we get anxious, because humans were never designed to be those things.
So you can locate the source of your anxiety from the list above and spend time fleshing out the implications.
Then you can die to it.
We get further when we die rather than try.
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So you can locate the source of your anxiety from the list above and spend time fleshing out the implications.
Then you can die to it.
We get further when we die rather than try.
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One of my best indicators that I am anxious (because I don't naturally know when I am) is when I notice that I have stopped noticing God is with me.
Clunky sentence, but deal with it, fellow Twitter bipeds.
So pausing and remembering God is with me....
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Clunky sentence, but deal with it, fellow Twitter bipeds.
So pausing and remembering God is with me....
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God is before me. God is ahead of me.
Present and at work.
Our breathing in and out sounds a bit like God's name in Hebrew.
Breath prayer can be the simplest thing to pause and breath in and out the name of God.
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Present and at work.
Our breathing in and out sounds a bit like God's name in Hebrew.
Breath prayer can be the simplest thing to pause and breath in and out the name of God.
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Not in some cool vibey hippie way, but in a grounded-in-reality way.
Hippie is a dumb word. It should be spelled with an ee at the end, not an ie.
God with us. Immanuel. YHWH. God is as close as your breath is now.
God has the best nicknames.
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Hippie is a dumb word. It should be spelled with an ee at the end, not an ie.
God with us. Immanuel. YHWH. God is as close as your breath is now.
God has the best nicknames.
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So the 4 spaces anxiety spreads:
1. The space in me.
2. The space between me and another.
3. The space inside the other.
4. The space between others.
You can do something about 3 of the 4 spaces.
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1. The space in me.
2. The space between me and another.
3. The space inside the other.
4. The space between others.
You can do something about 3 of the 4 spaces.
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Third space is holy ground. 'Can't touch this,' to quote my man, MC.
(Narrator: MC WAS NOT his man. And Steve cannot rap to save his life. Steve's wife, however, is a rap goddess.)
You cannot change another person. Yet you spend too much of your mental energy on it.
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(Narrator: MC WAS NOT his man. And Steve cannot rap to save his life. Steve's wife, however, is a rap goddess.)
You cannot change another person. Yet you spend too much of your mental energy on it.
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Why did they do it that way???
What were they thinking???
Or often times: what are they thinking of me???
3rd space.
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What were they thinking???
Or often times: what are they thinking of me???
3rd space.
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You can notice when you've crossed into it. Pause, pray for that person and let them be. Release them to the goodness of God and get on with your one wild and precious life.
1st space is where you need to spend 80% of your time.
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1st space is where you need to spend 80% of your time.
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Learn to lower reactivity, work to stay connected to people who irritate you, first put O2 mask on your own face, notice your sources of chronic anxiety.
HARD, HARD work. But what you're carrying now is hard. This is just 'new hard', so it feels harder.
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HARD, HARD work. But what you're carrying now is hard. This is just 'new hard', so it feels harder.
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But you don't have to stay on the treadmill of angst. You can quit the 'more of the same' and 'try harder' game.
You can relax into the grace and goodness of God.
Plenty of resurrection and new life on the other side of you dying to your false needs and beliefs.
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You can relax into the grace and goodness of God.
Plenty of resurrection and new life on the other side of you dying to your false needs and beliefs.
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It is a fight for freedom and peace. Too many faith leaders proclaim it, but struggle to encounter it for themselves.
The fight is worth it.
Amen. May it be.
19/19
The fight is worth it.
Amen. May it be.
19/19
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