The most common causes are often pretty obvious. But there are also ones that aren’t as obvious, which are arguably the real reasons why anxiety gets created in the first place.
1. Lack of communication in your relationships.
Relationships are perhaps the most sensitive areas you could ever be involved in because a lot of dynamics are at play: you love your partner and don’t want to hurt them, or maybe you care about their feelings and would do anything to make them happy. But there is a fine line between staying happy and fulfilled and staying true to yourself. Of course your partner wants to be happy, but they also want you to be authentic. A one-sided relationship can never really succeed, so it stands to reason that the best way to avoid any complications is to always feel free to communicate your feelings. Sure, your partner may not like it, but they will grow to trust and respect you regardless of what happens. A relationship built on dishonesty will always create anxiety due to always ‘acting up’ or believing that showing your true self will somehow make your partner lose attraction for you. It is, in fact, this very thing that usually destroys relationships.
2. Inability to express your vulnerabilities.
This is an area, which men specifically have problems dealing with. We are often taught by the media that having a strong and bravado like attitude is the hallmark of masculinity, and that showing your weaknesses is considered a bad thing. The truth is, there has never been anyone in the history of this planet who wasn’t vulnerable, either physically or emotionally. The key is to not be afraid to express yourself freely by allowing yourself to explore the full range of your emotions. If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re happy, be happy. Accept how you’re feeling in the present moment and learn to appreciate your vulnerabilities.
3. The feeling of guilt.
There will always be times when you felt guilty about something. Maybe you didn’t tell the truth when it mattered. Perhaps you failed to go and talk to someone when you first saw them due to being too afraid to make the approach. Or perhaps you said something you shouldn’t have to a family member. Whatever it may be, realize that it was all in the past and that it can’t be changed. All you can change are the things you’re doing right now. You have the perfect opportunity to take responsibility for your actions. What can you do right now that will stop you from feeling the same guilt in the future? Take it all on board and take action.
4. Trying to prove yourself to others.
One of the things I personally realized in my life was that no matter how hard I worked at being the type of person people would grow to love and appreciate, there would always be other people out there who wouldn’t like me. The worst thing that could ever happen is that you would simply conform with everyone around you while compromising your personal values in the process, which is a recipe for disaster. Instead, learn to accept yourself for who you are by knowing your strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to attract the right people into your life who will accept you for who you are.
5. Comparing yourself with others.
The media often displays billboards, magazines and TV shows portraying people with extreme levels of success, which is often pretty easy to feel insecure about. It’s easy to feel inferior, that something is wrong with you when in fact, it’s the very opposite. We all seem to forget the basic fact that while there are better and more successful people out there in the world, there is simply no one quite like you who could benefit from your value. In reality, we all have something of value to give to the world. Comparing yourself with others is impractical since you can’t be them and they can’t be you. Instead, learn to do things differently and in a way that is unique to you. You’ll eventually realize that there is no one you could really compare with besides yourself. How were you like yesterday as opposed to today? Have you improved? If not, you now have a new goal to strive for.
