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The Way You Respond to Anxiety Changes Your Life
Søren Kierkegaard on Angst (anxiety)
Deeply perplexed by the absurdities and troubles of existence, Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) diagnosed the root of our insecurities, struggles, and sufferings as being a lack of meaning. In the constant bombardment by “infinite boredom,” we have lost sight of our true selves, he wrote. By uniting the infinite “boredom” with the finite “love,” Kierkegaard believed, we can find our true self, in which we will all be content.
This philosophy of life at times appears contradictory, but the paradoxes are part of its genius to state that angst is both anxiety’s reason and solution. In order to break free from anxiety, one must first experience it intimately within oneself before utilizing it in life as a tool for change. As author Daniel Gilbert explains “Anxieties are our way of guarding against painful uncertainties…When we can’t remember what caused our anxieties or when they no longer bother us…we have forgotten our anxieties, and we have atrophied our empathy for others.”
With that in mind, unlocking the abilities of anxiety requires a fundamental change in perspective. One must first become the primary target of anxiety-causing situations. This radical shift in perspective is the only way to fully realize Anxiety’s potential as a catalyst for change.
