After my book launch and meditation retreat, I’ve been planning and organizing my new workshop. Creating the outline, choosing the exercises, looking for a spacious but affordable place to start with, waiting for offers, following up, looking for more options… until finally finding a good place for the chosen date and time.
I thought it’d be faster than I expected, but I’m sure it’s the same with everything. Every little detail takes time and energy, and the least expected problem shows up just when you think you’re ready. But it’s finally here!
I’m launching my first interactive in-person workshop: “You are NOT BROKEN, you are EVOLVING. Managing Fear & Anxiety.” It’ll be in Düsseldorf on November 12th, from 6:30 to 9 pm. See HERE.
I’m super happy about this project and excited to get started because I love the topic, and there’s so much I want to do around it. The best part is, I’m also creating a mini online course version of it!
Now, you might ask… why fear & anxiety? Why not something that sounds positive, or at least something that doesn’t sound so intimidating?
I have a couple of reasons to explain why I chose this topic, so let me get to the point, and after that, you’re free to judge. 😉
1.Because I’ve struggled with fear & anxiety myself.
During my book launch, I briefly explained all 7 steps of my framework, and one highlight was that Step #5, Managing Fear & Anxiety, was my favorite.
I love it so much because I’ve struggled with these emotions for quite a long time, and finding ways and tools that helped me regulate them and integrate them into my life has been life-changing. I’ve learned to love the process: identifying when something similar shows up again, acknowledging it, understanding it, feeling it, and DOING something about it.
It’s one of the best ways I’ve learned to get to know myself, and I wanna share it with you.
2. Because there’s no light without darkness.
As they say, there’s no light without darkness, so we need to know and understand the darkness in order to recognize and appreciate the light.
It’s the same with fear/anxiety and courage/trust.
I understand the need to highlight positive outcomes over negative ones, and I tend to emphasize the positive side of things, too. However… from personal experience, I know there were times when I was dealing with fear and anxiety, and it was so 'easy' to read about courage and trust…
'You just have to think courageously or trust, you just have to be present, and that’ll help, right?…'
Well, NO. At least not for me.
Just forcing yourself to think courageously or trust won’t necessarily make the fear or anxiety disappear. It might help in some situations where an actual 'immediate survival response' is needed (robbery, assault, etc...), or give you some relief in the short term.
However, in my case, it didn’t help. Many times I thought it did, but then I’d find myself feeling afraid or anxious again soon after.
So, what helped me?
Getting familiar with and in touch with the actual feelings of fear and anxiety. Understanding what I was feeling and why. Going to the roots and finding a way to help my mind and body understand that I was safe. Safe in my daily routine, during my everyday life. At home, with other people, or alone.
Let me give you an example:
I used to be afraid of being rejected in groups, especially groups of girls, so I’d suppress myself many times to avoid that. I tried to work on this many times, saying to myself, “You’re brave! Go be yourself and behave how you want. Just speak up!”
But it didn’t work in the long term. I’d find myself facing similar situations over and over again.
Then I started looking at my fear and anxiety differently. I started giving them a place where they could be understood. I stopped ignoring them and went back to the roots of my childhood, something I’d been avoiding for so long. I always thought I had overcome it with positive thinking, but in reality, I had just suppressed it and ignored it.
After doing that, I learned to be compassionate with myself, forgive, and do what my fear & anxiety had been asking me to do. I started giving myself acceptance and permission to be myself. Sometimes with bumps and falls, depending on the group. 😅 But now I’m courageous enough to give myself permission to be me around others, without expecting to be accepted by everyone. I feel safer and more present in my own skin, regardless of who I’m with.
And that’s thanks to learning how to understand, integrate, and regulate fear and anxiety during those moments!
I’ve seen them as messengers and friends ever since. So thankful they can talk to us!
And that’s just one example.
So, that’s what this workshop is about.
I want people to improve themselves and grow by learning to integrate fear and anxiety, observing them from the outside, taking a magnifying glass to them, and cracking them open until they find their roots.
Because that’s where real courage, trust, and a sense of safety begin…
Because you are NOT BROKEN. You are EVOLVING.
So, I hope to see you at the in-person workshop in Düsseldorf on November 12th!
And if you can’t make it, let me know if you’re interested in the online course instead. It takes a few hours to complete, and you can do it at your own pace.
See you there! 😉
Abrazo,
Leslie