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For context I have an anxiety disorder. This makes entrepreneurship even more difficult as these hard decisions are very hard to intellectualize even if you wan

by jsonne 7y ago

For context I have an anxiety disorder. This makes entrepreneurship even more difficult as these hard decisions are very hard to intellectualize even if you want to as it can cause panic attacks and in extreme cases disassociation events. One helpful thing though is the same framework I use to manage my anxiety is a great decision making tool for business. Forcing yourself to actually ground yourself where you are right now and look at what's actually going on. Basically cutting through the meta narrative and seeing things as they are. Early on in dealing with my anxiety the name of the game was pain avoidance. Use whatever I could to go numb basically. After a while, some of us at least, realize what's happening and are able to take the steps to change that perspective. Going numb constantly is no way to live. A focus on the process and what's happening right now as opposed to the maybe outcomes is really key. You learn to basically coexist with the anxiety, and as weird as it sounds, find a place of peace inside of it. To me that's what this post is saying. See things as they are, and lean into the pain rather than go numb. Ironically when you do that you realize the imagined horror is usually worse than the reality and in terms of business you make the hard decisions to get things done. This post resonated pretty deeply with me and I appreciate him sharing.

testfoobar 7y ago
Your experience is interesting: entrepreneurs take a lot of responsibility with lots of uncertainty - feeding lots of raw material directly into the anxiety disorder. How and where did you learn your techniques for managing your anxiety? How long did it take before you were able to see positive changes? Any diet and/or daily routine changes? Wouldn’t it be less stressful to get a job?
- jsonne 7y ago
  >How and where did you learn your techniques for managing your anxiety? Trial and error over a period of about 8 years. Lots of suggestions from folks. Some worked out, some didn't. Lots of incremental change, but mediation, exercise, stoic journaling, and therapy were the big 4 leaps I made. The therapy mostly focused on process orientation and self esteem/self worth for me personally. >How long did it take before you were able to see positive changes? Usually a few weeks with any of the 4 above. If I keep in my routine I usually can feel positive change within 1-2 weeks. >Any diet and/or daily routine changes? Limiting alcohol helps a lot. Generally avoiding processed foods and high sugar or starch foods helps. Supplements are a very mixed bag, but vitamin d, vitamin b, fish oil, magnesium, a mens daily vitamin help. Everything else either had no effect or negative effects for me. Also it seems silly but drinking enough water is a big deal. >Wouldn’t it be less stressful to get a job? Almost certainly it would be easier. Though a different more existential anxiety sets in after a while whenever I stop working on my own thing so it's a bit of give and take.
  - testfoobar 7y ago
    Thanks for answering. I find it valuable to understand how others manage their emotional states. I find regular exercise, meditation and good sleep hygiene to be effective. I'm reading about stoic journaling now. I did not know about this.

by jsonne 7y ago

testfoobar 7y ago

Your experience is interesting: entrepreneurs take a lot of responsibility with lots of uncertainty - feeding lots of raw material directly into the anxiety disorder. How and where did you learn your techniques for managing your anxiety? How long did it take before you were able to see positive changes? Any diet and/or daily routine changes? Wouldn’t it be less stressful to get a job?

jsonne 7y ago
>How and where did you learn your techniques for managing your anxiety? Trial and error over a period of about 8 years. Lots of suggestions from folks. Some worked out, some didn't. Lots of incremental change, but mediation, exercise, stoic journaling, and therapy were the big 4 leaps I made. The therapy mostly focused on process orientation and self esteem/self worth for me personally. >How long did it take before you were able to see positive changes? Usually a few weeks with any of the 4 above. If I keep in my routine I usually can feel positive change within 1-2 weeks. >Any diet and/or daily routine changes? Limiting alcohol helps a lot. Generally avoiding processed foods and high sugar or starch foods helps. Supplements are a very mixed bag, but vitamin d, vitamin b, fish oil, magnesium, a mens daily vitamin help. Everything else either had no effect or negative effects for me. Also it seems silly but drinking enough water is a big deal. >Wouldn’t it be less stressful to get a job? Almost certainly it would be easier. Though a different more existential anxiety sets in after a while whenever I stop working on my own thing so it's a bit of give and take.
- testfoobar 7y ago
  Thanks for answering. I find it valuable to understand how others manage their emotional states. I find regular exercise, meditation and good sleep hygiene to be effective. I'm reading about stoic journaling now. I did not know about this.