Anxiety, the Scourge of Our Time

Respect for other professions

Let me preface my further thoughts by saying that, as life coaches, we need to have the utmost respect for the medical and related professions.

The New Insights code of ethics, for one, reminds coaches that they have committed to do only good for their clients and, among other things, that requires them to refrain from offering their services to clients who present with health issues, for which their training does not adequately prepare and equip them.

Serious mental health issues such as chronic and intense anxiety are, of course, the specialist domain of professional counsellors, therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

A modern day scourge

Nonetheless, it needs to be recognised, nowadays, that even people we would generally regard as mentally well and fully functioning, are afflicted by bouts of anxiety.

Those of us involved in life coaching in these times will know only too well that the majority of clients will admit to harbouring regular feelings of low level anxiety that hinder them from attaining and maintaining the type and quality of life that they truly desire and deserve.

Low level anxiety and the accompanying feelings of apprehension, fear and even dread are, without doubt, something of a modern day scourge that most of us have to deal with at various times in our life and with increasing frequency.

The relevance of life coaching

And therefore, I think it entirely appropriate and much needed that some life coaches, like Peter, have chosen to specialise in offering their services to people afflicted by this 21st century epidemic.

My own experiences, involving members of my close family and friends have opened my eyes to just how ubiquitous the condition of anxiety has become. It has also become clear just how relevant and helpful life coaching, and the various tools and techniques it employs, can be in assisting to overcome the inertia or ‘stuckness’ that feelings of anxiety can cause in people who, otherwise, have so much more to gain and to give in this world.

The gut-mind connection

Much recent research is beginning to bear out what Chinese medicine has taught for centuries; that afflictions of the mind, such as anxiety, have their roots in the gut.

Upset the delicate balance of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract – or gut microbiome – and you’re likely going to end up with mood swings, brain fogs and difficulty maintaining a positive mindset.

Even worse, such imbalances can trigger an immune response that leads to the so-called ‘leaky gut’ syndrome where the intestinal wall thins and becomes permeable. In such cases, food poisoning or a poor diet can result in the ‘leaking’ of toxins into the bloodstream from where they can find their way to the brain and wreak havoc with the mind.

In the modern world where toxins from industrial smog, vehicle fumes, pesticides and microplastics threaten to overrun us, it is clear that simply having a healthy respect for one’s gut and what one puts into it, will go a long way towards helping reduce or manage symptoms of anxiety.

The mind-gut connection

Let’s look at things another way.

You could consider the mind and the gastrointestinal tract as being part of a two way feedback loop. Whereas a great diet can promote a healthy mindset, a feel good attitude can also promote healthier eating and a more settled gut.

Sadly, the opposite is equally true.

In our frenetic, modern day, materialistic world, where profits are more highly regarded than people and where success tends to be measured by power, status and/or possessions, rather than happiness, most of us find ourselves trapped on a hamster wheel doing someone else’s bidding in a frantic quest to get ahead and achieve the illusory pinnacle of ‘success’.

We busy ourselves with what our egos tell us we should do or ought to do in order to appease the demands of our external world, rather than take time out to listen to our inner beings and then busy ourselves with those activities that harnesses our gifts and passion and thereby bring us joy.

Living externally focused lives and denying our inner beings is a recipe for certain stress and anxiety, which can often result in irregular eating, a junk food diet and unhealthy addictions to alcohol and/or other substances that, in turn, take their toll on the delicate gut microbiome, perpetuating the vicious cycle.

A wonderful antidote

Life coaching, or anxiety coaching as Peter would call it in his practice, offers a wonderful antidote to this debilitating cycle, that so many of us, unwittingly and/or unnecessarily succumb to in the modern day world.

In particular, the New Insights life coaching system follows a tried and tested process that brings about personal transformation through developing a client’s self awareness, releasing his or her inner power and providing a range of tools and techniques to promote personal growth and the pursuit of a purpose driven life.

Exit Anxiety.

Enter Calmness, Balance and Joy!