Anxiety as a Sacred Signal: The Call to Reconnect
I hate anxiety as much as you do. It’s wildly uncomfortable and one of the scarier ways our bodies respond. You know the feeling-hard to take a breath, tight and constricted, racing thoughts spiraling into overthinking, nagging sense something is wrong, worrying about the endless to-do list, inability to be still and relaxed while irritable and annoyed by others. It can also create feelings of powerlessness, shame, helplessness, and what I see the most in women–paralysis. Frozen on the outside, on fire within.
So many women I work with in midlife come to me weary and wired, burdened by the weight of invisible expectations. They’re deeply caring, endlessly giving, always striving to do it all — for everyone. But underneath the surface is often a quiet panic:
Yet even though it’s pretty awful to be in this state, it’s not a disease, and it's not something that is attacking you. Why do we call them panic attacks? That only empowers us to feel powerless!
Anxiety is a sacred signal — a wise, insistent whisper from within, asking us to come home.
What if anxiety isn’t just a symptom to manage, fix, or numb? What if it’s a signal that something essential has been lost?
What if all anxiety is, at its core, separation anxiety?
Not just separation from others — though yes, we live in a culture that thrives on competition, individualism, and isolation.
But separation from ourselves. From the rhythms of the natural world. From the body’s wisdom. From the still, soft voice of the sacred feminine within.
Disconnection is the Root
Anxiety is what the nervous system does when it feels alone. Unsafe. Cut off.
It’s what happens when we override our own needs to care for everyone else. When we live in our heads to stay in control. When we feel we must earn our worth through perfection, productivity, or performance.
The modern world praises us for being busy, selfless, and strong. But it often forgets to ask: At what cost?
Over time, this disconnection wears on the body and soul. We burn out. Our inner critic grows louder. And anxiety moves in, waving its red flag, saying: Something sacred has been forgotten. Come back.
The Medicine is Reconnection
What if, instead of trying to eliminate anxiety, we treated it as a sacred signal? A threshold and a doorway into a place where we can actually feel at home within ourselves.
A message from the soul that you are being called to return — to the truth of who you are, to the ground beneath your feet, to your breath, your body, your inner knowing.
When we begin to see anxiety through this sacred lens, it shifts from something shameful to something meaningful. It becomes a compass, pointing us back to connection.
Not quick fixes, but real, rooted practices:
Reclaiming moments of stillness in nature
Tuning into the body’s sensations rather than overriding them
Listening to what your anxiety might be trying to say, instead of silencing it
Surrounding yourself with relationships that feel nourishing, not depleting
Letting go of old roles that no longer fit, especially the “good girl” or the “over-giver”
Letting go of the nagging pressure of the to-do list and feeling at peace when things are undone
Honoring your sacred feminine rhythms — ebb and flow, activity AND rest, not constant output or just feeling totally ON or totally OFF. Gradual transitions between the two.
You Are Not Broken
If you’re in midlife and feel like your anxiety is getting louder, know this: you are not broken. You are awakening.
This season of life often strips away what no longer serves. And while that can feel disorienting, it is also sacred. A rite of passage.
Anxiety may be the first signal that the old way isn’t working. But that’s not failure — that’s the beginning of coming home.
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to be everything for everyone. You need only to reconnect — to what is true, what is alive, and what is already wise within you.
Anxiety is the doorway. Wholeness is the path.
Journal Prompts: Turning Toward Anxiety with Curiosity and Compassion
🌀 1. What is my anxiety trying to tell me right now?
Rather than pushing it away, get still. What message might your anxiety be carrying beneath the discomfort?
🌿 2. Where in my life do I feel most disconnected — from myself, others, nature, or spirit?
Let yourself name the places that feel frayed, fragmented, or overextended.
💗 3. When do I feel most like myself — grounded, present, and at peace?
Describe a moment or memory when you felt at home in your body and your life. What was present in that experience?
🔥 4. What roles or expectations am I still carrying that no longer serve me?
Which “shoulds” are keeping you stuck in anxiety and disconnection?
🌙 5. How does my body experience anxiety — and how might I offer it comfort or support?
Gently tune in. Is it tightness in your chest? A racing mind? A clenched jaw? Then ask: What would feel soothing right now?
🌸 6. What might it look like to respond to my anxiety with tenderness instead of judgment?
Write as if you're speaking to a younger, tender part of you — one that simply wants to feel safe and loved.
🌊 7. What small ritual, rhythm, or reconnection practice could I invite into my daily life?
Think simple and nourishing: walking barefoot in grass, a quiet morning cup of tea, turning off your phone during meals, lighting a candle before bed.