Quick Strategy to Tame Anxiety
Anxiety can feel all encompassing. It has a way of making our thoughts spiral and everything feel urgent both physically and emotionally.
You might notice some of these common symptoms of anxiety:
feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
noticing a sense of impending danger or doom
sweating, trembling
increased heart rate
trouble controlling worry
trouble concentrating
GI issues
The trouble with anxiety is that it doesn't FEEL like anxiety, it feels like who we are, like something is really off. In motherhood, anxiety has a way of robbing you from the little moments that you want to cherish because you are always on edge.
Anxiety is complex and not a quick fix, but this simple strategy is foundational in preventing anxious thoughts and feelings from consuming you.
1.) NAME IT TO TAME IT.
By bringing our awareness to our experience and calling out anxiety for what it is, it puts us back in the driver's seat. That might sound like: "that's anxiety talking," or "i'm noticing a tightening in my chest, that's anxiety."
By naming this experience, it softens the anxiety a bit. It's still there, but it's not in the driver's seat jerking us around quite so much.
2.) CONNECT TO YOUR BODY:
Put your hand on your chest and take a moment to acknowledge that you're here in this moment experiencing these thoughts and feelings in your body. Notice and name what you feel in your body, where does that anxiety show up for you?
3.) GENTLY CONSIDER THE FUNCTION
Consider for a moment what the function of anxiety might be for you. What's the purpose?
Kindly consider that you're in a challenging season and your nervous system likely interprets that as a threat. So much so, that your heart rate may have increased to prepare you to flee, and your worry is meant to help you stay SAFE and BE PREPARED.
It makes sense that you might feel the way that you do right now in this difficult season. This is hard, and your body and mind are trying to help. Much like an overzealous friend who wants to be helpful but just ends up getting in the way.
Repeat the following with a kind and gentle acceptance:
Thank you friend. Thank you body. Thank you mind..
for trying to keep me safe and prepared.
I hear you.
I appreciate you.
BUT I've got it from here.
Anxiety might always be there, peaking around the corner to make sure you're okay and ready to take action. That's ok.
By noticing anxiety for what it is, acknowledging it and it's purpose, YOU are back in control.
You're doing a great job.
-Caroline
