Hi TOK List,

My colleague Dr. Anne Stewart shared this essay on anxiety and working with others, and I thought it was worthwhile so I am passing it along.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mindsharepartners/2020/03/19/how-to-lead-with-mental-health-in-mind-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR0fQ11UT8r28exrJAGN7mST__3El0KnyHj6VhfX3TlVwEqKnIku68sDvHE#537c15eb2f35

  I encourage us all to remember that anxiety is not the enemy. It is perfectly natural. It is what our mind-brain-body-relational world system feels when there is uncertainty and a heightened sense of possible, but often ill-defined threat. Basically, it is a "be on alert as bad shit might happen" signal. Needless to say, the current state of affairs does warrant your system signaling some of that. The key then is what to do with it.

  Some folks hate the feeling and try to block it out. Some might even go as far as to be in an "anti-panic mode."  For others, the affect gets the narrator going and the train of catastrophe gets chugging along at full speed. Generally, the goal is to avoid those extremes and find the sweet spot of emotional integration (Finding Your Emotional Sweet Spot<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201505/finding-your-emotional-sweet-spot>).

The idea of an integrated psychological mindfulness stance is to simultaneously observe the stream and be present. I encourage a "CALM body" attitude that is nicely narrated in this short video on mediation<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZJhSsXF1fg> by John Vervaeke, where he talks about finding your center line and befriending your body. Also, just being Curious, Accepting, Loving/Compassionate and Motivated toward valued states of being in relationship to it is the key.

Best,
G

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