In the season finale of The Art of Stability, I interviewed Steve Cuss. I found his definition of chronic anxiety and the solution to be helpful.
Steve says,
Chronic anxiety is generated by false belief and false assumptions — whether it's from within you or from someone placing it on you. A lot of people are anxious because somebody in their life has a false belief about them or false expectation on them. And two forces that displace anxiety clinically are love and laugher.
Friends, we need love (the ability to connect to another and remember I'm accepted apart from others' false beliefs).
We need laughter (the capacity to connect to joy and not take ourselves too seriously in light of others' false expectations).
Let there be love and laughter
If you feel the chronic anxiety Steve talks about creeping into your body to take up residence like an unwanted cat, two questions can help:
How can I infuse love into my life in moments of anxiety?
How can I fill my lungs with laughter?
We don't want to use laughter or love as an avoidance tactic. But what Steve is talking about is different than escapism.
We choose to think on "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable" (Philippians 4:8) — connecting to others and joy — rather than fixating on what is false.
If you struggle with chronic anxiety, let love and laughter reframe reality, and may you experience freedom from false narratives and fear.
Do you need help navigating the anxiety you feel? Let me help.
Also, check out the full interview of Managing Anxiety with Steve Cuss.
