Tummy trembles. Brain fuzz. That discombobulating feeling that tells you you're not quite sure what you should be doing but you know you should be doing something to keep your act together. Anxiety. Sometimes it slips away with a few deep breaths, other times you need to beat it off with a stick or some little white pills.

Naturally, we want try to get as far away from anxiety as possible -- which usually just results in us being anxious about being anxious. We resist and so it persists. But what if rather than pushing it away, we actually welcomed anxiety when it showed up? What if, rather than dreading the discomfort it brings, we looked at anxiety as a delivery service of inner truth and other such soul goodies? Because every time anxiety shows up, it's our psyche's way of saying, "Knock knock, I've got something to show you about yourself that you really should see."

Turning anxiety into power

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard explained that anxiety is a natural condition. (How liberating!) He believed that anxiety is "a cognitive emotion that reveals truths that we would prefer to hide but that we need for our greater health"-  that it's a valuable tool for shaping our ideal lives. Think of it this way: beneath the butterflies in your stomach, behind the clouds in your mind... is your greater truth. And it's trying to break on through.

Want to get more in touch with that truth? Me too! Try these steps:

STEP 1: Face reality. "I'm anxious." Simply notice your anxiety. First, you need to be aware of your actual indicators of anxiety ... they can be different for everyone. A lot of the times anxiety is trying to talk to us and we're just not picking up on the physical or mental cues. For me, anxiety manifests in what I call priority confusion. If I wander from room to room in the house, unsure if I should tidy, check my email, walk the dog, or write a novel, then I know something is up. I'm typically very laid back and laser-like decisive so if I can't figure out what's first on the to-do list, I know that anxiety has come callin'.

When you see the signs of it, all you need to do is simply state it. "I'm feeling anxious." There. You said it. You probably feel better already. Getting real is always the best first step.

STEP 2: Inquiry. "So, why am I anxious?" This is the step that requires real work. It's the kind of inquiry that calls for both concentration and compassion... a tricky combo. Having an "inquiry image" might be helpful. I often see dilemmas as layers of soft, earthy sediment within myself, and each question is a drilling down through the silt. "So why am I anxious?" I ask myself. "Because I don't want to be late." Not quite, that doesn't feel true. "So why am I anxious?" I repeat. "Because I've got so much to do." Nope, that's not it either, it's not making sense to my heart. "So why am I anxious?" I drill down. "Because I'm afraid that when I show up I'll be rejected." Bingo.

When we get to the true reason for our anxiety, and there may be more than one explanation. Then there's usually a softening that occurs when we come across it.

So you call it like you see it. That's powerful. And you've identified the reason - even more powerful. Now you're ready to rise above it.

STEP 3: Take responsibility. This is where our real power comes in. This is the fun bit, where we get to be a creative grown up, the master of our own domain. Once you've discovered why you're feeling anxious ... whether it's fear of failure, or a memory of past hurt or humiliation, then you need to counter the fear and negativity with courage and optimism. It's that simple - and that challenging.

Whatever you want to call it, positive thinking, re-framing, self-encouragement, ra-ra-rah, this is where you need to step up to the plate, look at your fear head on and confront it with your truth. The truth being, that you manage to get through every day whether with grace or grit; that fear will not kill you; that your God, or your friends, or your grandma in heaven will have your back; that you have risen above before, and that you will rise above again; that, it's only life after all.

Anxiety doesn't come bearing the solution. It's just there to direct your attention to the problem. It's like a headache that signals to you that you're hungry. The headache reminds you that your body needs nourishment, and then it's up to you to feed yourself. Self-care is a divine responsibility. To befriend anxiety is to choose your deepest strength. It's turning brain fuzz into brilliance, and the jitters into vital fuel to help you shine brighter than ever.

What are some of those inner truths that speak through your anxiety? How do you cope with anxiety? Do you tend to experience jitters around the same triggering events, or does your anxiety take over with little apparent rhyme or reason? Share your story!

Ra-ra-rah,

Danielle

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Danielle LaPorte is the creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, which has been called "the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality." She is the author of The Fire Starter Sessions: A Digital Experience for Entrepreneurs. You can find her on Twitter @daniellelaporte. Proceeds from the purchase of The Fire Starter Sessions go to Owning Pink! Click here to check it out.