Feeling Unconnected

Question:

I have been dealing with anxiety and worry my whole adult life. While I have been "working" on this for nearly two decades…reading, trying to understand myself better, making life changes that are more in line with my purpose…still, at 45, I feel the pang of anxiety, restlessness, boredom and insecurity in my heart. I know I am blessed in so many ways. But I simply cannot feel the blessings…or somehow "know" that I can trust myself to make the right choices. I hope this makes sense…I guess I feel disconnected and want desperately to "feel" my worth and connection to the world around me.

Answer:

I believe the reason the anxiety, boredom and restlessness you have been going through hasn’t gone away yet is because you have approached this issue mentally. I would encourage you to instead deal with this through action and service. Throw yourself fully into helping others who are less fortunate. Find an area of service that is dear to your heart–helping teens, working with the homeless or elderly—whatever appeals to you. If you spend hours every day helping people who really need your help, then you will feel a value and purpose that will erase your anxiety and boredom. You won’t have to try to feel your blessings, you will be the one providing blessings. You will feel your blessings because you are the blessings.

Love,

Deepak

 deepakchopra.com

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About Deepak Chopra

Time Magazine heralded Deepak Chopra as one of the 100 heroes and icons of the century, and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." Entertainment Weekly described Deepak Chopra as "Hollywood's man of the moment, one of publishing's best-selling and most prolific self-help authors." He is the author of more than 50 books and more than 100 audio, video and CD-Rom titles. He has been published on every continent and in dozens of languages. Fifteen of his books have landed on the New York Times Best-seller list. Toastmaster International recognized him as one of the top five outstanding speakers in the world. Through his over two decades of work since leaving his medical practice, Deepak continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing. His mission of "bridging the technological miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east" remains his thrust and provides the basis for his recognition as one of India's historically greatest ambassadors to the west. Chopra has been a keynote speaker at several academic institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Business School and Wharton.His latest book is "Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul."

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6 Responses to Feeling Unconnected

  1. ardverk October 30, 2009 at 1:00 am #

    Just what keeps body and soul together?

    Do what you are dying to do. Go on through, trusting that all the right energies are waiting to unfold. The solution is in the problem. The potential IS one's worth crying out to a disconnected and deaf 'world' of contrived circumstance. The deepest potential is connection. We ARE all connected. Plunge in with Deepak and shift the log-jam, same infinite potential crying out Universally. The depressed body will follow in the flow. Believe……I'll believe, too!

    Love,

    ed

  2. Diablo October 30, 2009 at 6:35 am #

    Granpa is a fan of the Big Man!

  3. ardverk October 30, 2009 at 6:56 am #

    We're all connected, Diab ;) Didn't you say I was wise when I imagined I was a paper fan in the big man's other Q and A?

    Good to see you clocking in, grandson :)

  4. jacquemo October 30, 2009 at 9:01 am #

    Deepak, I recently watched your Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire on DVD.

    I think that the introduction of this series holds some answer to this dilemma. In the beginning the speaker asks everyone to sit with eyes closed as will recite three questions. Then, with our attention on our heart, we listen for the answer as he recites each question.

    Who am I

    What do I want

    How can I serve

    For me the surprisingly simple answers came quickly and effortlessly. The answer to your posted question might be in these three basic questions. As you may have eluded in your answer here, the solution, or answer, may be found in the asker's answer to Question #3. If one does not live the answers to these basic questions there could certainly be some resulting disconnection and anxiety.

  5. gregory57 October 30, 2009 at 1:21 pm #

    Dear Ed:

    Its great to see you. I'll believe with you.

    Love, Greg

  6. ardverk November 1, 2009 at 5:01 am #

    Lol Greg, we have critical mass!

    Love,

    ed