Tips for managing anxiety - The power of gratitude
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
A.A. Milne
In this series of articles, I will give you three top tips for managing anxiety which I really hope you will find useful. Thankfully there are various tools that I try and use to stop my thoughts from wandering in a negative direction and to keep me more hopeful for what lies ahead.
The Power of Gratitude
Gratitude does not have to be for material things, it is wide-ranging and could simply mean being grateful for opening your eyes in the morning, your health, or a smile or phone call from a loved one. There are endless ways to practice it.
You may be experiencing a sense of loss due to the pandemic, a loss of freedom, safety, security, connection and much more. However, practicing gratitude strengthens our resilience and trains the brain to cope with adversity in more positive ways. It’s a bit like strengthening a muscle. Practicing gratitude improves your mood, it broadens our perspectives and strengthens the brain’s ability to problem-solve.
Focusing on the negative takes no effort at all, and at the moment, fear and negativity seem to be everywhere we look. Gratitude, on the other hand, takes effort. It is giving yourself permission to experience hope during the difficulties. We have to choose to give it time and space in our minds. It is hard to be negative about your situation when you are thinking about things for which you are grateful for.
Gratitude is an attitude, it is a choice and a habit. When you consciously practice giving thanks for all that you do have rather than focus on what you don’t, you will begin to attract better relationships and a much more positive outlook on life. It might also lead you into seeing new opportunities for yourself and others.
Some people make lists at the end of the day for things they are grateful for; some do it during prayer and meditation, others make a point of expressing gratitude to those around them.
I encourage you to think of 5 things each morning you can be grateful for.
Stay connected
It is really important right now to keep in touch with your friends and family. There are so many of us who are lonely and feeling cut off from our normal support group. Even if you are a busy mum juggling home schooling your children and balancing the demands of work and home, you can feel very lonely. Make a time each day to phone someone, think about who might really appreciate a call from you and who might be struggling themselves. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out and tell someone that you trust that you are finding it difficult. Talking helps immensely as you are confronting the situation which hopefully will start the road to recovery.
Think about who you can help in your community. There are many ways of supporting those in our neighbourhoods for example, food shopping, getting prescriptions from the pharmacy or being at the end of the phone to encourage and support. Last year, at the start of the pandemic, a friend of mine set up a WhatsApp group for everyone in her street. This has been a great support to so many in her neighbourhood and they have found it has brought them together when before the pandemic they hardly knew each other. When you look beyond your situation, it distracts your negative thoughts which can really help to reduce your sense of fear and anxiety. Here is a link to an example of a community group. Covid Mutual Aid Community Group
Think about what you can do with friends and family. Plan to go on a walk (restrictions allowing), organise a Zoom call over a cup of tea or glass of wine!
Many people are playing online bridge, card games and various other puzzles and games which can be really fun and another way of connecting.
Keep active
More than ever you need to keep active, studies show that taking exercise is very effective at reducing tiredness, improving motivation and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate. Any amount of exercise is better than none, however raising your heart rate and increasing your breathing will help to release endorphins which are often called “feel-good” chemicals because they can act as a pain reliever and happiness booster.
Some of you will be working online, this means that often you are slouched in front of your computers for hours on end. I find that if you plan when you are going to exercise, it happens, if you don’t it is much less likely to! So, try and set your own small daily goals. If you can, get outside and walk in an open space or park, this has a calming effect on the mind. Also, when you are walking be aware of your thoughts and rather than focus on all your concerns, think about all the things that are good and beautiful. Notice and capture the moment. Go for a run, more importantly, do something that you like that makes you feel good and that works for you.
Yoga is effective for stress relief, aside from the physical benefits, it encourages a better mood, an increase in mindfulness, better sleep and improves your focus and concentration.
The condition of anxiety has become ubiquitous. Life coaching with all the relevant and various tools and techniques it employs, helps to overcome the feelings of ‘stuckness’ that anxiety can cause.
If you would like to find out more, I offer a safe confidential space and will support you with various tools and techniques so that you can control your anxiety rather than let it be in control of you. The initial call is complimentary.
caroline@carolinerockecoaching.com
Tel: 07738766601
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come.
We have only today. Let us begin.”
Mother Teresa