Anxiety Deep Dive Series • Part 12
The Alchemist
Anxiety as Energy
Physiologically, anxiety and excitement are almost identical. Both involve high arousal, increased heart rate, and focus. The difference is the label we put on it.
Anxiety = High Arousal + "This is bad/dangerous."
Excitement = High Arousal + "This is important/opportunity."
The Alchemist doesn't try to get rid of the energy; they transmute it. They take the buzzing, vibrating energy of anxiety and channel it into performance, creativity, or passion.
The Hero's Journey
You have completed this 12-part deep dive. You have moved from fighting your nervous system to befriending it. You have met the Catastrophizer and the Orphan. You have learned to listen somatically and drop the rope.
You are no longer a victim of your anxiety. You are the hero of your own story, and your anxiety is simply the dragon that guards the treasure of your potential.
Integration
1. The Shift: How has your relationship with anxiety changed since starting this series?
2. The Treasure: What have you learned about yourself through this journey?
3. The Vow: Write a short vow to yourself about how you will treat yourself the next time anxiety arises.
The Turning Point: Practice This Week
The "I Am Excited" Reframe
This is the final tool in your kit. It is simple, but it changes brain chemistry.
The 3-Second Transmutation
The next time you feel the "buzz" of anxiety (before a meeting, a difficult conversation, or a new experience):
- Notice the physical sensation (racing heart, butterflies).
- Say out loud: "I am excited."
- Add the "Why": "I am excited because this matters to me."
Why it works: Trying to calm down (going from High Arousal to Low Arousal) is like slamming the brakes on a speeding car. Reframing as excitement (staying in High Arousal but changing the valence from negative to positive) is like steering the car onto a race track. Use the energy; don't waste it.