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Anxiety is one of the most common mental states people struggle with and is often under high stress.
You may be familiar with the high anxiety toll - stress, sleep problems, constant anxiety, and anxiety disorders all over your body.
The less commonly recognized signs include persistent self-doubt, fear of being scared most, difficulty concentrating, and irritability with those around you.
Thankfully there are things you can do to ease your anxiety and manage the stress of your life better.
And best of all: Methods don't take long.
Reducing anxiety and dealing with stress cannot be the stress itself.
There are many quick and easy ways that can have a big impact on your well-being.
What I have included here is a solid foundation of research, and something I encourage my psychotherapy clients to use.
I have also found them personally helpful in managing my own daily stress and anxiety.
This way you will have many opportunities to re-focus yourself and relieve the stress that is accumulating on your body and mind.
If you wait until you are completely overwhelmed, it is very difficult to regain balance.
Early morning: Start your day with attendance (30 seconds)
Start your morning with a basic grounding exercise to set the tone for your day.
You can use this practice when you first wake up - before you even open your eyes - or during your morning routine (in the shower)
Close your eyes and turn your attention to the breath, as your breath enters through your body.
As you breathe, think to yourself, "I am." As you exhale, think, "Here."
As you inhale, repeat this cycle over and over again: "Here I am.”
See how your body and mind respond to this simple declaration.
Open your eyes as needed to determine your place in the world.
This is a reliable way to reduce anxiety and manage stress and focus on breathing for good reason.
Breathing engages the veins in the nerves, which activates the calming part of our nervous system.
Best of all, you don't have to try to relax - just breathe.
Your nervous system will handle the rest.
Take a deep calming breath, exhale really a minute.
Measure how much you are breathing in those minutes.
No matter how many numbers you have, your breathing number is, for example, seven.
Whenever you feel stressed during the day, stop and take a breath of calm, calm breath.
This will take about a minute, and you don't need a timer.
Notice if the mind is just beginning to go back to breathing
Lunch: Rest and Digest (30 seconds)
Eating involves the part of our nervous system that is immune to the stress, flight, or freeze-up mechanisms responsible for our stress hormones.
But we often rush into our meals - and we often focus on stressful tasks like work or distressing news.
Reduce your stress and improve digestion by eating in a more relaxed state.
At the most, eat at a table and avoid work and other stresses (I know, working through lunch can be difficult…).
Try this simple exercise to prepare your body and mind for your meal.
When you sit down to eat, take three slow, grounding breaths.
Breath Feel your feet on the floor and your body in your chair with the first breath, sensing where you are physically, mentally and emotionally.
With others, stay in the environment around you, remembering the things in your life.
Pay close attention to what you are sharing with the food, looking at what is happening to you.
With the third breath, look at the food in front of you with the colour, texture and aroma of the food.
Early Evening: Let the Stress Go (2 minutes)
Our bodies accumulate physical stress throughout the day, which increases anxiety and creates their own stress. Practice relaxation a few times throughout the day. It can be especially beneficial to relax during the transition, such as when you are coming home for the day before greeting your family.
In this exercise, you first relax your muscles by stretching. Although it may seem resistant, this stress-relaxing cycle may be more effective than trying to relax the muscles.
Close your eyes and sit in a quiet place. Breathe in for five calories and take three calm breaths.
Squeeze your hands, pause for a moment, and then release the tension in your hand completely. Take three more calm breaths.
Now pull your shoulders to your ears, create tension, and then rest your shoulders. Finish with three more breaths. See how you feel now.
If you are stressed with other muscles, feel free to do this exercise for that area.
Bedtime: Thank you, good night (3 minutes)
As we go to bed, our minds are better at thinking about the wrong things in the day or reminding us of the things we care about. As a result, we take our stress and anxiety to sleep with you.
Try to focus on the good things you are grateful for that day. Do not try to be “thankful” for the good in your life.
Place pens and paper on your bedside so they will be there when you go to bed tonight. Before you turn off the light for a nap, write three things about your day that you are grateful for.
Your thank you list may include people you like, everyday experiences (like the food you eat), something you did well today, or something you love. When you turn off the lights and go to sleep, fill your mind with what you write.
This practice is not just about going to sleep but also setting the tone for how you feel when you wake up in the morning.
We are designed to handle stress reduction. But when stress is overwhelming or not relieving, it can affect our body, mind and soul. These practices will not only help you manage stress and reduce anxiety, but also connect you to your faithful nature: calm, loving, joyful, and present.