Bye-Bye Anxiety
Yo-Yo Ma
Anxiety is real… and Omgee, let me say even knowing something is based in anxiety doesn’t make it easy.
I have such a hard time when anyone, and I mean anyone, tells me to relax. I don’t know what that means. I don’t. My life experience has taught me to be ‘on’, ‘ready’ for the next hardship or emergency. I am on all the time. I sit down to watch TV and I’m thinking about what chores to do. I get ready for bed and I’m thinking about tomorrow’s day.
Josh Groban
Anxiety affects my sleep. I tease that when I close my eyes, my mind turns into a 15 person conversation but really that is how I feel. I could be yawning and so tired, yet in the dark, eyes closed, my mind is talking a mile a minute. I even break through it all and intentionally start telling myself to sleep. Pretty ridiculous, I must say.
Last night I listened to this 5-minute guided meditation, yes something new I’m trying to ‘relax’ before bed, ha.ha.ha. So last night’s was about ‘anxiety’, uh-huh. Clearly, not something the person had. “Breathe, visualize anxiety, wrap it in a cloud, toss the cloud away from you, breathe, don’t you feel better” Umm, no I’m anxious cuz the damn cloud is hovering above me and I’m going to get drenched right before bed, thanks lady, I’ll keep breathing.
Andrea Bochelli
I go back to music. Fuck meditation. Music is my healer. Sometimes listening to melodies, the talent, the harmonies, the heart whether in instruments or in voice is what my heart and my head needs.
Some people think of an orchestra, roll their eyes, and immediately go to Mozart, Bach, anything ‘old’, ‘classical’, not recognizing there are modern day composers, granted a little Mozart in someone’s life is probably a good thing. If you have never taken a listen to Opera, a resounding voice, or an orchestra, take a listen. Close your eyes for a moment, how many different instruments can you hear, how does each fold into the harmony, can you feel the music reach your soul?
At night, or when my anxiety is distracting me, I go to this place in my music list. Quiets the conversations, eases my spirit, soothes my soul, and gives my anxiety a break. Bye-Bye dark cloud.
Give it a try, and enjoy a listen to something soul-reaching.
