When anxiety takes hold and your mind feels like it’s spiralling out of control, it can seem overwhelming. After years of suffering in silence I’ve learnt to apply some helpful habits to ease and manage my anxiety, I hope sharing these tips from my tool box might be useful if you find yourself in the midsts of an over anxious mind.
1. Breathe
It may sound simple, but ‘breathe’ with intention. Find a quiet space, put your hands on your heart, left palm over right, close your eyes and take three deep breaths, and then let your breath fall to its natural rhythm, try repeating one of the following mantras to yourself;
On the inhale; ‘I am calm’, on the exhale; ‘I am safe’ or on the inhale; ‘I am held… and on the exhale; ‘this will pass’. Or simply count 1,2,3 or in the inhale, and 3,4,5 on the exhale. Alternatively create your own calming mantra, something simple that will work for you.
By taking the focus to your breathe and the loving act of placing your palms on your heart its likely to help lower your heart rate and calm your spiralling mind.
Telling someone with anxiety to calm down is unlikely to help them, but telling yourself to calm down and self soothing can have a positive effect.
2. Pause
Take a moment of awareness to notice what is happening when your mind feels like it’s spiralling and actively choose to pause. By having a sense of awareness it can help you to distance yourself from the intensity of your feelings and rationalise your thoughts.
Try and remember ‘you are not your thoughts and emotions’, and instead of getting caught up in the web of thinking of yourself as highly anxious alternatively try thinking ‘I am feeling some anxiety right now, what can I do to help myself?’ By acknowledging your feelings, labelling the emotion and tuning in to your needs and how you can help yourself may help give you back a sense of control, and tap into that inner knowing that these feeling of anxiety will soon pass.
3. Stroll, don’t scroll
Put down your phone and step outside, take in the fresh air and go for a walk, it may be what you feel least like doing but it will do you the world of good.
Ideally take a walk in nature, being in nature is healing in itself, and walking is known to calm down the nerve cells in your brain that relax the senses and boost feel good endorphins. By taking a simple walk in the park, you may well help yourself to dilute negative thoughts and lift your mood.
Please note these are tips from my personal tool box, if you are suffering from anxiety please seek help from a medical professional.