A Work in Progress

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current ones. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a fast heart rate and shakiness aka how my body feels ‘when I drink too much coffee.'

There’s a lot of anxiety floating around the world these days. If it lands on you, it can feel overwhelming. When it lands on me, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to combat it. They may not always work, they aren’t perfect but then again neither am I - and that’s my main secret, to remember to embrace my imperfections and allow myself to ‘be human’ aka ‘make mistakes.’

Here’s a ‘friendly reminder’ list that helps me in times of stress & worry:

1. Mantras 
‘I am a work in progress’ - life is a practice - experiencing someone difficult? Practice how I want to be with them. Having tough emotions? Practice how I want to be in them.

2. Meditation 
Even five minutes of guided breathing can be relaxing / grounding.

3. Four Square (or Box) Breathing
Breathe in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four.

4. Cry 
Yes. Cry.
"Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system and restores the body to a state of balance," Wikipedia - this one is best done when the time & place are proactively chosen, like turning on a good movie and releasing in the comfort of one’s own home.

5. Write a ‘note (or list) to self’ 
Write about good things when in a good place to be read when in a difficult place - I turned this one into a photobook full of people I love and things that make me smile, quotes from people who’ve said nice things, and so on.

Hopefully one of the above helps you in a time of need. Sometimes I wish I could give the whole world a hug (because I’m cheesy like that). Most of us are doing our best. Most of us are trying to be good humans. Most of us fail,a lot. It’s all okay. You are where you need to be.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao Tzu

Let’s all take a small step toward who we want to be, right now.

~M

*M, Fantastic and helpful strategies friend. Thank you for sharing.  - J