Are you fearful??

Are you fearful? Do you lie awake at night, dreading the future, in a vague and nebulous way? If so, congratulations. High intelligence is associated with higher levels of anxiety, worry, and rumination..  So there's that, and that's no small thing. If you are intelligent you have resources.  You can think. You can create. How?  Well, think of your personality as a piece of pie, divide it into sections, and name the sections. Give a special and kind name to your most anxious part. Name it something attractive, like 'insightful' part. Or 'brilliant' part. Be kind to your fear. Be welcoming. Rumi said in his famous poem THE GUEST HOUSE: 

• "This being human is a guest house. / Every morning a new arrival".
• "Welcome and entertain them all! / Even if they're a crowd of sorrows / who violently sweep your house / empty of its furniture".
• "Meet them at the door laughing, / and invite them in".
• "Be grateful for whoever comes, / because each has been sent / as a guide from
  • beyond".
  The poem (often translated by Coleman Barks) advises against resisting uncomfortable feelings. Instead, treating each guest—from joy to sadness—with honor and presence allows them to pass through, bringing personal growth rather than permanent damage. Treat your fear well. Draw a picture of it. Write a song about it. Play with it, lean into it, and while you are on the subject, consider looking into IFS, short for a therapy modality called Internal Family Systems. Work with a therapist who is familiar with helping you understand yourself in terms of your beautiful complexity, your dreams, the night ones and the daydreams. IFS, something I am trained in, is a wonderful way to learn to enjoy your anxiety and make it work for you.

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