The Power of Perspective: How to Take Control of Context to Overcome Panic

I almost had a panic attack today.

It wasn’t one thing but all the things. It was one too many disappointments, one too many knocks, one too many imagined slights. My heart raced as my face flushed.

“This isn’t the place. This isn’t the time.”

That’s what I told myself. But words weren’t enough. Words rarely are enough, are they?

I took a deep breath and did what I could.

I stepped outside to see the sun.

I shifted the context. It wasn’t where I was that was stirring the panic, but stepping outside created space. Space to see the sun and smell the air.

This gave me depth and context to remind me of where I was in that moment.

I focused on what I could control.

I could feel the waves of emotions crashing within me. My chest felt flooded and water-logged. I slowed down my breath. Long, deep breaths.

This helped me calm the waves and slow my steady heart.

I let go of the stories.

I gave up, or maybe, I gave in. I threw down my sword and stopped fighting. There was no one there but me and my imaginary dragons. When I let go, they left.

This changed the story, which changed everything.

I had a moment there, alone, standing in the sun.

I realized I was all that was left. And I was fine. When I let go of the stories to focus on what I can control and choose to change the context, I will be perfectly fine.

It won’t last for long. It never does. But for today, a moment was long enough.