Episode 2 - The Observer

Mental Defense

Differentiating what you feel from who you are is a self-care technique commonly used for those experiencing chronic anxiety. It is the difference between saying "I am anxious" and "I feel anxious". Although an effective technique, it can do the disservice of treating anxiety as an enemy that must be overcome, thus turning our own feelings into our daily opponent. As a martial artist, I learned that I would never win a fight by treating my opponent as an enemy. The fight is not won with toughness, it is won with humility and the ability to learn from and respect our opponent. We do so by observing our opponent. In this episode we will put observation into practice as we explore negative feelings with empathy.