Anxiety is a common theme among my clients, friends and family. The number one most common thing I am asked for help with is ways to reduce the frequency of anxiety. Anxiety refers to the anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behaviour. Fear is an emotional response to an immediate threat and is more associated with a fight or flight reaction – either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger. A quick and easy fix is a Reiki session, but that doesn’t help long term without more tools added to the mix. I have an arsenal of tools and methods that I will tailor for individuals to help with anxiety, but there are four simple ways to reduce anxiety and stay present that help all my clients.
When you are present and mindful - not thinking about the future and anticipating what will happen – you might notice that you are not anxious. Being present is more than being busy, it is keeping the mind focused on the present. Eliminating anxiety takes work. It’s about plans and actions that will take care of the future. All those things can’t be solved in a blog post. It may need a coaching session or regular therapy sessions with a licensed professional, and it might need prescriptive medication. For many people, when anxiety isn’t crippling, just upsetting, it can be managed with simple measures. If you have severe anxiety, I encourage you to seek medical help.
Here are four simple ways to reduce anxiety and stay present for people with mild anxiety.
1. Reading. If you have ever been absorbed in a good book, you know what I am talking about. The story carries you away and all you think about is the narrative. The story keeps you present and I bet not once you are thinking about fear.
2. Meditation. There are several different forms of meditation. Everything from visualization, guided and mantra. There are two different meditations I recommend to stay present.
a. Close your eyes and count backwards from 60. Inhale – think 60, exhale think 60. Inhale think 59, exhale think 59 and so on. This is a practice. You will find yourself slipping into a daydream somewhere around 39. Recognize that you stopped counting backwards and go back to 60. You will become an expert in 60 – 39. Keep at it, eventually, you will make it to zero. The present moment is in the counting and recognition of not counting. Be kind to yourself and keep trying. It is a practice, not a perfection. This is a simple meditation to do at work or a party. It is a simple way to centre yourself and bring calm back to you.
b. The other method I recommend is called 5 Stones. Lay five crystals or stones in front of you. Pick up the stone on the farthest to the right with your right hand. Transfer that stone to your left hand and lay it down beside the stones on the left. You repeat this with your right hand to your left hand four more times. Then you repeat the process with the left hand. Once you have a feel for it. Close your eyes and continue. You have to stay present so you can find the stones without looking. This will put you in an altered state, like hypnosis. A calm and peaceful feeling will be present with you. Do this until you are completely relaxed. It can be ten minutes or thirty – that is up to you.
3. Journal. I often say “I don’t know what I am thinking until I write it down”. Maybe that is true for you too. Pen to paper start writing. Ask yourself some hard questions. Or maybe you just write to get your thoughts out. Now is not the time to worry about sentence structure or grammar. You may need to write a letter to the person who is stressing you, or maybe you are writing to the person you consider your hero. I will write to one of my deceased grandparents or my spirit team. It is different each time, and it is always healing. If you need help getting started, here are some journal prompts that might help:
a. What was the hardest thing that you experienced and how did you get through it?
b. Make a list of compliments that you have received from others.
c. What are your top five happiest moments?
d. Write down 10 things that make you smile.
e. List your anxiety triggers. (This one can help you plan for your future and avoid the things that trigger anxiety. You deserve to be anxiety free.)
4. Exercise. But make it hard. Some exercise is fun, some is relaxing and some is hard. For me Yoga is hard. I love it because it makes me focus and hold a position. I don’t have time to worry about things when I am in Tree Pose because I am focusing on staying upright. Or leaning into Pigeon Pose and getting a stretch just right. Weights take focus, a spin class takes focus, dancing takes focus – think about the movement and position and sports like volleyball or hockey all take focus and demand you stay present. Plus it releases endorphins that make you feel good and that alone reduces anxiety.
Sometimes we need more than four simple ways to reduce anxiety, but I trust that you know when to seek professional help. These tools are for times when we need a simple fix that is more than a deep breath. But I always recommend that first. Breath. Sometimes that is all we need.
For more ways to integrate meditation into your day visit here.
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