Healing Your Anxiety Like A Teenager

As many of you know, I have a book coming out entitled, The Anxiety Connection. As part of this book, I ran a questionnaire that elicited response from 350 teenagers and was really surprised by some of their results. 

Two questions specifically inquired about their level of anxiety prior and now during COVID-19. 95% of teens reported that they experienced some level of anxiety prior to COVID.  The percentage rate of teen anxiety actually lowered since being in quarantine down to 93%.

These teens are struggling less with the anxiety brought on by strict academic deliverables, sports performance and friend dynamics.   

I also believe it is because they are in their nest.

Maya Angelou once shared on the television show, Super Soul Sunday, that the single most important thing a parent can do to raise the confidence of their child is to smile and acknowledge them the moment you see them.

When they walk into the room or when you pick them up from school (one day), acknowledge and smile at them and hug them rather than immediately fixing their clothes or wiping something off of them. Picking at their clothes first sends them the message that 1) they need to be perfect for your affection 2) other things are more important than them. 

I believe these teens have not only felt safer at home but have also benefited from the presence of their family around them. They have felt more seen and heard. This theme was the universal response in the open thoughts section of my questionnaire. These teens just wanted to feel heard or cared about within their families. They wanted to know their parents were interested in them. Being in our nests together has allowed for this shared connection and time together.

If you are a parent, this is a great time to pause and look at how much presence you are giving to the birds in your nest. Are you acknowledging them when they walk in the room or are you too busy on your phone or laptop? How much would their behavior shift if they felt more important to you than your electronics? 

Right now, you have at least one more month to make a difference.  How can your presence help your birdies feel more confident and safe in and out of your nest?

And what is true for these teenagers is also true for your younger self. Even as adults, we want to feel acknowledged and seen. We want to feel safe and secure. We want to feel loved.

Join me for this week's meditation that will help you find your way back to your own nest and to a place that allows your younger self to be seen, acknowledged and loved and ultimately feeling safer and secure in this anxiety-riddled world. 

Much love, 
Erin