Anxiety is something which many of us encounter at some stage of our lives but for others, it can be a daily battle. It affects everyone – young and old – and often overpowers us. It prevent us from experiencing the joy and pleasure of life and negatively impacts our mental health.
But what is anxiety and how can you feel empowered to reduce, manage and overcome it’s control on your life?
Anxiety in its simplest form is fear. When we feel anxious, it usually involves something that is yet to happen. While feelings of depression usually stem from past events, anxiety is usually fear of the future. And by future, I don’t just mean weeks, months or years down the line. By the time you finish this sentence, you have entered your future.
Your past shapes your future
We have no control over time; the past cannot be changed nor can we prevent the future. But we do have the present moment and with awareness, we can harness the power that resides here and in turn, influence, change and create our desired future.
The lens we use to envisage our future is often clouded by the experiences of our past. It can create a distorted view of ourselves, our lives and our reality. Childhood conditioning, past experiences and self limiting beliefs all limit our future potential. But we can choose to release and remove these distortions and begin to think, act and behave in ways that support our healing and growth.
Your experience of life is unique to you
While others may have similar or even identical life experiences to yours, your experience of them, and of life in general, is unique to you. Take for example falling off a horse. Some decide to get straight back on the horse while others never want to ride a horse again. Some suffer serious injury and still choose to get back on the horse. Some call this brave. Others call it reckless. Regardless of what others think, we always have choice.
The emotional impact of a traumatic event affects each of us differently and our experience of it is individual. The same is true for anxiety. Only you will know the unique experience of yours. So for those lucky enough to never experience anxiety, empathising with those who do can be difficult. You may have been told by others to simply “get over it” or to “stop worrying”. This is never helpful and you should never feel guilty or ashamed of how you feel.
Anxiety is very real for those suffering from it and can be extremely debilitating. But there is light at the end of the dark tunnel. You can overcome anxiety. Here are 6 simple and effective tools to help empower and support you in achieving this.
Remember, you are never alone. There is always an abundance of help and support available to you 24/7, both from your team in spirit and the many free community services (like The Samaritans) available to you, day or night.
Even in your darkest hour, the light of hope is always present.
1. Talking it out
This may seem obvious but many of us are less likely to talk about how we feel when we are overwhelmed with anxiety. By speaking, you activate your throat chakra which releases thoughts from your mind and prevents them from circulating endlessly in your head. Even if there is no one to talk to, say what you are thinking and feeling out loud to yourself. When you acknowledge the thoughts you experience, they are less likely to have control over you. Writing or journaling is another wonderful way to release negative thoughts from your mind. Whatever method you choose, expressing your thoughts and anxieties through words will help ease and release the tension they create.
2. What will my next thought be?
A simple, powerful and instant way to temporarily calm an anxious mind is to pause, take a breath and ask yourself…
“What will my next thought be?”
You will find that your racing mind will suddenly stop as you move from being an active participant in your thinking, to observer of your thoughts. Try it now! And use it anytime you feel overwhelmed by anxiety or negative thoughts. While its effect may be short lived, it does gives you an opportunity to break the chain of negative thinking and replace it with a positive affirmation or moment of mindfulness.
3. Positive Affirmations
It can be difficult to think positively when your mind is negatively programmed. From childhood, we are conditioned to think, act and behave in a certain way. Positive affirmations can help break the cycle of negative thinking and with practice, will increase the amount of positive thoughts you have.
Did you know that we have about 60,000 thoughts per day? 80% of these are negative and 95% of them are repetitive. Much of these thoughts are fear based – “I am not… smart enough, rich enough, tall enough, skinny enough, pretty enough” etc. Change these to what you are – “I am kind, caring, loving, loveable, intelligent, funny.. I am enough.”
As you begin to reprogramme your mind to these truths, you will step off the merry-go-round of negativity. Make a conscious effort to think more positively about yourself each day and take as many opportunities as you can to be kind & compassionate towards yourself.
4. Take time out
Stress can both cause and be a result of anxiety. We are often unaware of stress in our lives. Taking some time out from the stresses of everyday life can help you manage your anxiety better. Nature offers you a world of healing and beauty and Mother nature is always available to nurture, support and relieve an overworked mind.
Being in nature has a grounding effect. When we are consumed by our thoughts and thinking, we become ungrounded and lose our connection to the earth. By spending time outdoors, we become more grounded and better able to cope with the stresses of daily life.
Regular exercise can also help calm your mind by releasing endorphins – your body’s natural feel good chemicals – which are known to relieve stress and result in an overall feeling of pleasure and well-being.
5. Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness is a wonderful method of managing your anxiety and enhances your overall attitude towards life. It brings you into present moment awareness. This is where all your power lies. You have no control over the past. But by harnessing the power of the present moment, you can change and shape your future.
Similar to meditation, mindfulness allows you to become an observer of what is happening right now – free of judgement or worry. Rather than trying to stop yourself feeling anxious, you can just “be” and accept your thoughts and feelings for exactly what they are – ‘experiences in time’. When you are more present in all of life’s experiences, anxiety and worry begin to fade away.
6. Recognise your triggers
Certain situations or events in our lives can cause us to feel anxious. A common one for many is a job interview. But some triggers are less obvious. Get to know and understand what events or situations trigger your anxiety. Maybe it’s meeting new people. What is it about this that causes your anxiety? Remember that it will always be a fear. A fear they will not like you. A fear you will say something stupid. A fear you will have nothing in common.
When you recognise and acknowledge what the fear is, you can take steps to alleviate it. Much of what we fear comes from our own feelings of insecurity, inadequacy or incompetence. Once you are aware that the basis of your anxiety stems from fear, you can examine how and where this fear came from, and begin to heal the source of the wound.
You can overcome Anxiety!
My free 7-day Self-Healing Program is perfect for those suffering with Anxiety and offers you a simple, practical solution for healing, growth and transformation in all areas of your life. In less than 10 minutes a day, you can learn to free yourself from the control of anxiety and begin to see yourself and your world in a whole new light!
A permanent solution for Anxiety?
If you continue to struggle with anxiety, even after initiating some or all of these practices, Reiki can help you overcome feelings of fear, worry or stress – permanently! Let me explain how.
Reiki helps you heal your past and frees you from your fear of the future. Known as the “The Secret Art of Inviting Happiness”, it lovingly guides and reconnects you with your innate inner power of self healing. It helps you heal the past so you can live more joyfully in the present. Reiki helps you learn to be more accepting and compassionate towards yourself. It supports you in transforming your life permanently and assists you in overcoming any and all of life’s troubles.
Anxiety has become far too common in our everyday society but I trust and pray that the tips and suggestions above offer you some temporary relief from the struggles of anxiety. If you feel ready to forgive and release your past once and for all, then I encourage you to book a session with me and move into a new way of living that is free of self-limiting beliefs.
You are deserving of a happy, healthy and abundant life – one where you are master of your destiny, and one which supports your highest possibility and potential.
With Love, Light and Blessings
Paddy
Namaste
