“It is said that if you drop a frog in hot water, he’ll jump out. If you put him in lukewarm water and very slowly raise the temperature, the frog will stay there until he dies.
We’re not frogs. We have the capacity to see and to know when we’re sliding too far into an unhealthy situation. But we have to take note of what we see. We don’t have to continue down a slippery slope. We can stop, turn around, and head in the other direction. But this can only be done when we see our situation for what it is.”
– Steven Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple
After moving 2,000 miles across the country, away from the fast-paced northeast corridor of the United States, I’d say yes, it’s possible to get away from anxiety. The more time I spend calling Denver home, the more I realize my surroundings were like the boiling pot of water. I often say I was raised in Maine but grew up in Washington DC.
Growing Up
My experiences in DC were much like a slow boil. I grew up in the environment, it was the first place I lived on my own, the first place I got a professional job, and the first place I found a lot out about myself. It also was terrible for my anxiety. Fast-paced, fake, and corporate ladder climbing are words that come to mind. For me, it was a mixing pot of all the wrong influences.
I knew something was off, but much like the content-until-boiled frog, I never quite figured out why. Two years ago, when I traveled the country to “find me,” my mind opened up. I could feel the anxiety going away and my true self coming into fruition. I ran from anxiety and am much happier because of it.
I sold my car, found an apartment where I could easily walk to daily necessities, developed ties in the community, explored nature, and worked on finding me.
Running From Problems
This is where my advice falters. You cannot run from your problems. Inner problems will never go away unless you slay them. Re-locating, or changing your lifestyle, may limit anxiety, but it will not slay your demons. Those take time, persistence, and actively trying to move forward. Anxiety can be lessened by changing your surroundings, but problems cannot be solved.
If you move make sure you know the reasons and what you’re trying to “find.” It’s much easier to fix your problems when not anxiety-ridden, but running will not solve your problems.