5 Tips To Beat Anxiety

Anxiety.
If you suffer from it you know it’s not easy to deal with this state of mind/heart.
When you are anxious it seems impossible to think clearly to manage even the simplest task.
I hear ya!

So, what can you do?

Start with your breath. It may seem obvious, yet when anxiety takes over it makes it difficult to even inhale and exhale properly.'

Your breath is one of the most powerful tools you have available at all times and deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the system that slows the heart rate and relaxes your muscles. The way you breathe affects your mind/body as they are always connected and depending on each other. You can calm your mind and relax your body simply by breathing slowly and deeply. As you start with the inhale followed by the exhale, do it mindfully – breathe with a sense of awareness. Take a full deep breath in through your nose, fill the lungs, exhale through the mouth, repeat. Let a large sense of release fill your whole body/mind. Move your body. Exercise does wonders to release tension and stress! When you’re feeling anxious, walking, dancing, running, spinning, lifting weights, yoga asana… helps you to let go, release endorphins and happy hormones like serotonin.
In fact, the most effective and natural way to boost serotonin is by exercising daily. When you exercise physically the stress hormones like cortisol reduce and you feel happier and more relaxed. Pick an exercise or two that suits you and your lifestyle and stick to the routine.

Develop a spiritual practice. Learn to sit with your thoughts; allow them to move without attaching one to the other, by spending time with yourself daily. It’s ok to feel uncomfortable and not be ok. Once you accept the fact that feelings and emotions come and go and the way you feel at any given moment is temporary, it becomes easier to not fight the way you experience life in the moment of anxiety. This releasees A LOT of the internal struggle.

You may choose to journal your feelings, or spend some time meditating. You may want to start a a yoga practice, breath work, and don’t underestimate the power of praying (to whatever/whomever you believe in).
When you have a spiritual practice it’s easier to practice mindfulness. Once you are mindful, it becomes second hand to stay focused to the present moment: this is paramount in fighting anxiety as it often comes about when you are projecting in the future.

Do you have your own fool-proof ways of calming down and relieving anxiety?
I’d love to know!