Anxiety, just reading the name alone can trigger its symptoms for so many of us! The worry, fear, and nervousness are felt at multiples levels and can be expressed in a variety of ways. Emotional expression of anxiety can be one of panic. Mentally anxiety cause us to ruminate over our concerns causing a state of analysis paralysis. Physically, hearts can race and breathing becomes shallower. Our bodies can begin sweating, trembling and contribute to a lowering of our immune system. The good news is that there are simple ways to help ease the effects of anxiety. Read on, and try the following four ways to reduce the effect of anxiety in your life.
- Don’t Forget to Breathe!
During an anxiety attack people become so consumed by their worries that they forget the simple act of breathing. Although it may feel difficult, when the concerns start clouding your ability to be you, create a moment of rest and taking a mindful cleansing breath. This act will shift your focus back to the present where you have the ability to take immediate steps to fix your issues.
If you have more time to devote to mindful breathing, consider creating a grounding mantra. Mantras can help you settle more deeply into your breathing and allow you to experience greater relaxation. Breathing exercises in general, allow people to focus more on the present and creates space to listen to one’s Inner Voice.
Begin by getting into a comfortable position and close your eyes. Mindfully, inhale slowly and then exhale equally as slow through your nose. Focus on this present moment. Allow a mantra to come into your mind that brings you a sense of direction and comfort. On your next inhale visualize the first half of the mantra. On the next exhale visualize the second half. Repeat tying your mantra to your breath for a few more cycles. When you feel calmer, open your eyes, slowly release from your position, and return to your daily routine.
- Nonjudgmentally Explore the Roots of Your Insecurities
Anxiety is a vicious cycle. We worry and therefore release adrenaline that can tax our body and causes us to worry more. We can be so caught in this loop that we fail to look at what is really bothering us and why. To begin to ease the effects of anxiety we must understand what is really behind our concerns and why. It is important to create space and time to explore your thoughts and feelings without feelings of shame or guilt. One of the best ways to process your thoughts, feelings and emotions is by writing in a journal. You might also find working with a therapist or trusted confidante to be especially helpful at not just understand what is going on in your mind, but how to create steps towards healing.
- Understand What you Can and Cannot Fix
Do you often find yourself worrying about things that are illusions or unlikely to occur? It happens to us all from time to time, but there is little benefit from focusing on unrealistic thoughts. Instead of fixating on these nerve-wracking illusions, choose to focus on aspects of your life that are within your control. The unknown is scary, but it also can provide us valuable lessons. Greet the crossroads in your life with a sense of gratitude and preparedness. By create small simple steps toward success on your journey you can help ease the “gremlins” or limiting beliefs in your mind.
Consider a fear of meeting a new person after being hurt in a previous relationship. Begin by thanking the universe for no longer wasting your precious time and energy on an unfulfilling romance. If you have one main interest that you couldn’t share with your last partner consider focusing your dating search around this key passion of yours. This way instead of feeling anxiety prior to a date and being consumed by thoughts of if and how this new person could hurt you, you can breathe and focus on how this new person experience joy from your shared passion. By centering your attitude around positivity, you can feel more in control and peaceful when facing a new scenario.
- Ground Yourself!
If you find your anxiety spiking, breathe and focus your attention onto something that brings you peace. Try listening to music, going for a walk, meditating. or being creative. By finding enjoyment and peace you can better regulate your heartrate and breathing. Soon you will find your concerns being transformed into something more productive, and you can begin to heal yourself in a proactive way.