Learn and internalize the Buddhist ’three characteristics’ (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness/suffering, and impersonality/selflessness) to deal with anxiety more skillfully by recognizing its transient, non-personal nature.
Remember that all experiences, including discomfort, stress, and anxiety, are impermanent and will eventually pass, which can be liberating and reduce suffering caused by the belief that negative feelings will last forever.
Instead of constantly fighting against the inherent impermanence and unsatisfactoriness of existence, strive to see these truths clearly and align yourself with them, which is more skillful than perpetual resistance.
Actively engage with other people as a crucial tool for dealing with anxiety, as they can be a significant source of alleviation and perspective, even though they can also be a source of anxiety.
Share your fears and anxieties with trusted friends or a ‘squad’ to gain external perspective, break down the issue, and potentially uncover underlying core wounds or recurring themes that you might not see on your own.
When feeling anxious, bring your awareness to your body to help settle yourself, as the body provides crucial information about your internal state.
Pause and check in with the felt sensations in your body and the expression of your breath, as this provides crucial information about what is happening inside you and can help you course-correct.
If anxiety arises in the moment, pause, feel into the experience by noticing your breath and body, and observe how the anxiety changes, moves, and eventually dissipates, which can be liberating.
Before entering a new or stressful environment, pause, feel your feet on the ground, and perform a ‘resourcing’ practice by slowly turning your head from side to side, observing colors, shapes, textures, and nature elements to orient yourself and signal safety to your nervous system.
To settle the nervous system and avoid exacerbating anxiety, focus your breath low in your belly, placing hands just below the belly button to feel it expand and deflate like a balloon with each inhale and exhale.
When feeling tense or constricted, take a break to engage in a few full, deep breaths to reset your body, allowing the breath to find more rhythm, flow, and continuity.
Approach each breath with curiosity, noticing its unique qualities, beginning, middle, and end, and how it changes, rather than expecting it to be constant, which can make breathing a more embodied experience.
To alleviate tightness and restriction, practice feeling the breath move through your entire body, including your feet and hands, rather than solely focusing on the nostrils.
Engage in somatic activities like walking, biking, or lifting weights to physically move and process anxious energy through your body before it escalates.
When feeling anxious or disembodied, place one hand on your forehead and the other on the back of your neck with slight pressure to create a sense of containment and holding, and rest your eyes to enhance internal body awareness.
When experiencing anxiety as tightness in the chest, place a hand on your chest and gently rub it while giving yourself a reassuring pep talk, acknowledging the feeling but reminding yourself that you are capable and making progress.
When anxiety manifests as a tight mass in the chest, gently tap the center of your chest to help break apart the sensation, allowing you to identify and work with the individual components of the anxiety.
When anxiety stems from wanting to perform perfectly or say the right thing, recognize it as ego-driven and consciously let your ego take a backseat, remembering that sharing practice doesn’t require perfection.
Before committing to new tasks or responsibilities, especially when already busy, ask yourself not just ‘Can I?’ but ‘Should I?’ to ensure you have enough space and capacity for refueling and nourishing your body.
Make self-care practices, like resourcing, an integral part of your daily rhythm, similar to brushing teeth or having breakfast, especially in high-stress jobs, so they become a foundational part of how you prepare for and move through your workday.
For high-stress professions, intentionally prepare yourself mentally and emotionally before entering challenging environments, and ritualize the process of letting go and shedding the stress once you leave.
If your job consistently causes tightness, constriction, or shortness of breath, investigate whether the work environment can be shifted or transformed, or if it’s no longer the right fit for your health.
Pay attention to your body’s signals to determine if a job or career path is still the right fit, honoring that you move through different seasons in life and may need to grow, transform, or shift your work.
When comparing yourself to others’ seemingly perfect lives, remember that ‘just like me,’ they too experience suffering, challenges, and imperfections, which can foster compassion and reduce self-blame.
Release the belief that anything or anyone can be perfect, recognizing that perfection is an impossible standard and embracing the reality of shared human experience, including suffering and imperfections.
Speak openly about your fears and anxieties to normalize these common human experiences, countering the collective failure of hiding the reality of being human and reducing the feeling that ‘something’s broken’ in individuals.
For those impacted by social, collective, and historical traumas (e.g., racism, discrimination), acknowledge, name, and talk about these experiences, leaning on and caring for each other, as continuous dialogue is essential for healing.
Recognize that even during periods of persistent anxiety, there are always moments or ‘spaces in between’ where there is alleviation or a pause from the feeling, and seek to notice these gaps.
Participate in shared challenges, like meditation challenges with friends or family, to foster accountability through mutual notifications and support.
Incorporate laughter, such as watching stand-up comedy, as a somatic rest strategy to shake and move energy out of your body, providing a sense of replenishment.
Find and engage in enjoyable physical activities like riding a bike or cooking as personal outlets to nourish and replenish your body and mind.