Caution: Falling Thoughts!

When it comes to anxiety, many of us are guilty of treating our thoughts like they are real and dangerous.  We become fused with them and take their warnings at face value.  It's easy to forget that anxiety is not a confirmation of danger, but rather, a warning sign that there might be danger.  Unfortunately, our brain gets this wrong all of the time. It means well.  It's trying to protect us.  But in doing so, it often overestimates risk.  It sets off that warning sign - anxiety - even when there is minimal risk.

I often think about those 'Falling Rock' signs that we've all seen on the highway.  We all notice them and acknowledge them... and then blow right by them.  We understand that it's possible that a rock may fall on us, but we keep going, because we know that the sign itself is not dangerous.  It's just a warning.  If ever we encounter a giant boulder on the road, well, that will be a good time to stop.  This is how we should be treating our thoughts - we can notice them and even acknowledge them, but we should not mistake them for danger.  Our thoughts are the sign, not the boulder.  These kinds of thoughts are just warnings - often misguided or overzealous warnings - that do not require action.  We can choose to blow right by them and keep going.