Blue Fire Bryanston
2020 is proving to be a non-year and there is no rewind button!
For almost all, every plan we had, every budget we made and most of our goals for 2020 have been affected, even derailed, by the worldwide pandemic resulting from the COVID-19 Coronavirus and the consequential national lockdown.
Whether you were only affected by the highest, most stringent level in lockdown or remain affected all the way to the lowest level, we have all experienced stress and anxiety these past months.
How are we coping with all this?
TIP 1 – UNDERSTANDING IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
Understanding the roots of your anxiety is essential and also realising that it is simply not your fault are the first steps to moving away from its crippling effects on your life.
Why is it not your fault?
You are programmed to survive and you, like all of us, have a negative bias that keeps us alive and protects us from danger.
This negative bias is therefore strong for good reason as it is a fundamental part of our survival. Maintaining this negative bias is therefore essential so that when we are confronted by a threat or trauma we have a strong resource of this energy to help us cope.
However, this essential resource is constantly being triggered due to the pressures of modern life. 2020 for many just provided a situation of endless and/or never ending triggers.
So, for most, Cortisol (the stress hormone) is persistently being triggered and released into our bodies leaving many of us living in a constant state of fight or flight.
This has developed into a pattern of automatic response and for most; we have now developed a habit of anxiety!
TIP 2 – UNDERSTAND YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS POWER
Your subconscious mind is very open and suggestible and you have a lot more control over it than you may think.
In fact, you have complete authority over soothing anxiety and focusing on being calm and confident if you learn to communicate positively with your subconscious mind.
Think of it like this;
Your subconscious mind is like a small child and your conscious mind is the parent and that everything the parent says or does conditions a response of either fear or love in the child. So, in understanding this wouldn’t you choose to be kinder and calmer to the child?
Becoming more positive is not about changing who you are but about accessing a part of you that already exists. It is about tapping into your best self, the part that is free and lives moment to moment.
This is the power of programming your subconscious mind to focus on love and not the fear that drives anxiety.
TIP 3 – DISCOVER & APPLY A POSITIVE SELF-CONCEPT
The way you speak about your life, both in your own mind and to others, is essentially a way of creating your own story.
WORDS HAVE POWER! The words that you use to describe yourself, your family, where you live and the work that you do are important as these words form the framework of how you feel about yourself.
This is the story you tell yourself every second of every day and these positive or negative words have a huge impact on your daily life as you tell the story to yourself.
Remember the small child?
So as you tell your story, MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!
First thing in the morning and last thing at night visualise yourself going through each day the way you wish to think, feel and behave. As humans, we are unique in our ability to IMAGINE.
When you close your eyes and imagine something, your body will respond to the images in your mind as if the event were really happening.
Each day acknowledge the GOOD that happened. Tell your friends and family all about the good in your day.
The mind forms memories through experiences so to purposefully acknowledge positive events builds positive memories.
STOP THE HABIT OF NEGATIVE THINKING!
TIP 4 – START CARING FOR YOURSELF
The habit of practical self-care is essential to implement when dealing with anxiety.
TIP 5 – 16 SIMPLE WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY
1. EXERCISE
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress as putting physical stress on your body can relieve mental stress.
Exercise lowers the body’s stress hormones such as Cortisol.
Its why walking off your anger actually works!
2. CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTS
Several supplements promote stress and anxiety reduction such as Omega-3 fatty acids and green tea.
Some supplements can interact with medication or have side effects, so please consult with your doctor if you have a medical condition.
3. LIGHT A CANDLE
Using essential oils or burning a scented candle may reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety.
Some scents are especially soothing. Using scents to treat your mood is called aromatherapy.
Several studies show that aromatherapy can decrease anxiety and improve sleep.
4. REDUCE YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE
Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, black tea, chocolate and energy drinks.
High doses have been proven to increase anxiety whilst many studies show that coffee can be health in moderation. In general fewer than five cups a day is considered moderate.
People have different thresholds for how much caffeine they can tolerate so if you are anxious or jittery consider cutting back on your daily intake.
5. WRITE IT DOWN
One way to handle stress is to write things down. Make lists.
REMINDER; Be sure to jot down what you are grateful for as gratitude for the positive things helps you focus on the positive.
6. CHEW GUM
Chewing promotes blood flow to your brain and causes similar brain waves to those of relaxed people.
Stress relief is greatest when you chew strongly.
Chew gum or a healthier alternative like a carrot or celery stick.
Avoid stress eating! Your favourite comfort food will lead to other reasons for stress like unwanted weight gain.
7. SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY
One study showed that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release Oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called “tend and befriend” and is the opposite of the fight or flight response.
Both men and woman benefit from friendship! Another study showed that persons with fewer social connections are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.
8. LAUGH
It’s hard to feel anxious when you are laughing. In the long term, laughter can improve your immune system and mood.
9. LEARN TO SAY NO
You cannot control everything but some things you definitely can.
Take control and learn to say NO more often especially over the parts of your life that are causing you stress.
Be selective about what you take on!
10. LEARN TO AVOID PROCRASTINATION
Procrastination or putting things off can lead you to act reactively and scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress.
Get into the habit of making a to-do list organised by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines.
11. TAKE A YOGA CLASS
Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief primarily due to increasing ones awareness of body and breath.
It may also help lower Cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate and increase Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that is lowered in mood disorders.
12. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness practices may help increase self-esteem which in turn lessens symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Typical mindfulness activities include:
13. CUDDLE
Cuddling, kissing, hugging and sex helps relieve stress as positive physical contact helps release Oxytocin and lower Cortisol.
14. LISTEN TO SOOTHING MUSIC
Listening to music can have a very relaxing effect on the body and is a good way to relieve stress.
15. DEEP BREATHING
Deep breathing exercises can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system which controls the relaxation response.
The goal is to breathe deeply so as to focus your awareness on your breath, making it slower and deeper. This slows your heart rate and thereby your sense of peace.
16. SPEND TIME WITH YOUR PET
Having a pet may help reduce stress and improve your mood by giving you purpose, keeping you active and providing companionship. All qualities that help reduce anxiety.
TOP CARE TIP
Your body always knows what it needs and when you slow down the mind we can hear the message it is giving you.
LISTEN actively to the signals from your body each day and develop an open relationship between your body and mind so that both may flourish.
SOURCES
Hi, I’m Jade Baller.
This blog provides news, advice & insights for your personal care.
We hope to share many tips & actions for being the BEST YOU in heart, body & mind.
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