How To Combat Anxiety in Times of Uncertainty

During times of uncertainty, it is common to feel worried or fearful for what is to come. 

While we can not control what happens in our external world, we can practice healthy reactions in stressful situations.
By practicing mindfulness, we encourage our minds to be less reactive when situations occur that would typically cause fear and anxiety.  

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. 

By cultivating mindfulness, you can enhance your awareness and acceptance of whatever is happening in the present, rather than getting caught up in past regrets or future worries.

Observing your reactions and emotions as they arise is a healthy way to process these sometimes uncomfortable sensations. Our body sends us signals to react to different stimuli on a daily basis, and sometimes the signals are a bit extreme for the circumstance!

Our sympathetic nervous system aka "fight or flight" response is designed to keep us alive and safe in the case of impending danger. For example, a hungry lion is 50 feet behind you and you need to run for your life. 😱 

The fight or flight reaction can occur even if we are nervous about a difficult conversation that you have to have with a friend or coworker, or when you're driving in a busy traffic area.

 Our lives are not being immediately threatened in these situations. This is where being mindful is helpful so we can acknowledge the body's signals, take a clear analysis of what is actually happening, and focus on coming back to a more calm and balanced state.

How can we calm ourselves when stress is high?

Here are some quick and easily accessible tools to calm your nerves when anxiety and fear is present.

1) Recognize your thoughts. Are you irrationally thinking of the worst possible outcome of the situation? Try to change your focus on the best possible outcome. Oftentimes when we are stressed, we are overthinking and assuming the worst. By focusing on a more positive outcome, we can become more calm and think logically.

2) Practice deep breathing. This may be the most simple tool for calming ourselves in times of high stress. Focus on deep slow inhalation while expanding your belly to a count of four. Then exhale slowly to a count of four. Focus on the sound of your breath and the rise and fall of your chest. 

3) Flowing water meditation.

Here is a simple meditation to help calm intrusive thoughts.

Imagine that your busy mind is like a flowing river full of sticks traveling down stream.The sticks symbolize the many random thoughts that are popping up in your mind when you are stressed. Then, picture a river dam in the flowing river, catching all of the sticks (thoughts) running through the stream (your mind). The water flowing beyond the dam is a calm and clear stream, 

This meditation helps us visualize catching our thoughts when they are running out of control, and replacing them with the picture of peaceful flowing water.

Practicing mindfulness gets easier the more often we do it. 

Having tools to help with stressful situations is beneficial for combatting physical and mental stress. 

We believe that a peaceful mind leads to a more peaceful life. 

We hope you may find some use in these tools. 

As always, we are here for you to aid in stress relief, pain relief and to be a reliable space for high quality self care services that allow you to feel your best.