19 Comments
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Hannah Corr's avatar

What a beautifully written poem, I love this idea, I felt my own anxiety reading it and it dropping. Telling it you are safe, love this.

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

I am glad it made you feel like this Hannah💚

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Harun Kewa's avatar

Anxiety is a tricky friend to deal with.

Great stuff, Harneek!

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

It is, I agree. Thanks Harun 😊

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Kirstie McKinnon's avatar

I love how you practice self-compassion and share that so bravely here. It’s inspiring, and motivates me to be kinder to myself. This poem makes me think of Matt Licata’s book ‘A Healing Space’ - the invitation to invite all guests, including our anxiety to the table. Thank you for sharing from the tremulous place, and making a poem with the material to hand.

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Hey Kirstie, thanks for your comment. Yes that’s what I am trying to practice in my life. Giving space and honour to all my feelings. 😊

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Janelle Hardacre's avatar

Not sure why my inbox presented me with a letter from June, but I'm glad it did x

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Melody Jasmine's avatar

So timely with the new inside out movie :). This was a joy to read

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Thanks Melody, I am glad you enjoyed reading this. 💚What movie is this and what it is about?

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Antony Henao's avatar

Lovely piece, Harneek. I deeply resonate with this

"Sometimes I know the reason of her arrival.

Sometimes I am not too sure."

I have also struggle have struggle a lot with anxiety. Learning to understanding it, soothing it, and embracing it has been quite a journey for me.

I learned to deal with anxiety through writing. If it were not for my anxiety, I wouldn't have able to connect in a deeper manner with my writing and feelings. What a bittersweet experience!

Thanks for sharing this and opening a part of yourself through this writing :)

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Thanks Antony for your comment and sharing your experiences with anxiety. I am glad you found a way to deal with your anxiety. I wish you good luck and healing energy for your journey :)

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Mohika Mudgal's avatar

Hey Harneek,

Thank you so much for the shout-out in your poem!

The way you describe anxiety with such vivid imagery—the cold hands, racing heart, and that shrinking feeling in the stomach—it's so relatable. I love how you’ve personified anxiety and turned it into a kind of uneasy friend. It's such a unique perspective, and it’s comforting to think about anxiety as something we can negotiate with rather than just suffer through.

Thanks again for recommending my essay. It means a lot. Keep writing these beautiful, honest pieces. They’re truly inspiring!

Love,

Mo

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Ava.May's avatar

And thank you so so much for the mention and kind words ❤️

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Ava.May's avatar

Love this Harneek ❤️ I've been trying more to be friends with my anxiety too and approach her with kindness, but sometimes it's so difficult!

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Thanks Ava for your comment and I agree it's not that easy. Even for me, sometimes nothing works and I have to stay with it. Sending you good vibes and healing energy for your journey :)

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Patrick Muindi's avatar

An interesting and refreshing way of dealing with anxiety, Harneek. Don't be too much of friends with her, though; she's the friend to be entertained but not loved. When ushered in, she has a tendency to overstay her welcome.

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Thanks Patrick for your comment. My way of dealing with it is just giving it the care, attention and love it needs. It has been disappearing faster if I have been surrendering to it, instead of trying to get rid of it. 😊

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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Thanks Mo for all the kind words, they really means a lot and help me keep going 💚💚

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Jun 16, 2024
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Harneek Chawla's avatar

Hmm for me it has been a journey to deal with my anxiety. Initially I use to deny it and acted cool, calm and collected. That’s just another way of exhausting yourself. Because as soon as there is something unusual happened, I use to become rude and unkind. Then I started acknowledging its arrival and stay with her. Now I try to be gentle with my anxiety and inquire the reason she has arrived. For me, mostly it is related to feeling of safety (when that is missing). The more I have hated it or felt shame around it, the more it has had power over me. As soon I saw it as an opportunity to slow down and listen her, it has gone better.

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