Commit to getting curious about uncomfortable sensations and facing them head-on, as this might be an unexpected key to a happier life.
Engage in practices that bring you into the present moment, as this can be life-changing and help alleviate being haunted by worrisome thoughts.
Recognize that while you cannot control thoughts that pop up, you can control your response to them by bringing in compassion, questioning your thoughts, and practicing mindfulness.
Wake up from the ’trance of anxiety’ by becoming aware you’re lost in worry, and consciously choose to use an anxiety relief tool at that moment, even if you still feel anxious sensations.
Approach your anxious feelings with the same self-compassion and kindness you would offer a scared child, as this soothing approach helps you soften rather than tightening up with anger or more worry.
Instead of resisting or stuffing down painful feelings, learn to befriend, make peace with, welcome, accept, and tend to them in a soothing way until they pass, promoting emotional health.
Actively remind yourself that you are not your thoughts, which helps to create separation and allows you to choose a new path towards calm and clarity.
When struggling with challenging feelings and thoughts, ask yourself how you would speak to or treat a loved one or a child, then apply that same compassion to yourself.
Become aware that anxious ‘mind movies’ are just thoughts and not necessarily true, then question them to reduce their power and separate from them.
Apply Byron Katie’s ‘The Work’ to an anxiety-causing thought by asking: 1) Is it true? 2) Are you absolutely sure it’s true? 3) How do you feel when you believe it? 4) Who would you be without that thought? Then, explore the turnaround (opposite) of the thought.
Learn to notice anxious sensations in your body with neutrality and without judgment, effectively separating them from the stories your mind creates about them.
Utilize deep and slow breathing as an anchor to the present moment, as it brings oxygen into your body and literally calms and slows down your system.
Engage in exercise that involves moving your body in a loving way, which can help to let the fight or flight system run its course.
Practice tuning into yourself and your body’s needs, similar to how a loving parent tunes into a child’s needs, to determine what tool or approach is most helpful in a given moment.
Practice observing anxious sensations without judgment, like you would a painting on the wall, allowing you to be a neutral observer once you let go of the idea that they are bad.
Engage in a compassionate dialogue with your anxious sensations, perhaps by placing a hand on your stomach or chest and reassuring them, ‘I am with you. You’re okay,’ to soothe them.
Engage in self-havening by using sensory touch on the palms of your hands, upper arms, and sides of your face, potentially adding calming words and images, to calm your system and induce delta brainwaves.
Practice basic mindfulness by focusing on your current sensory input, such as what you see, hear, touch, and your breath, to bring yourself back to the present moment and counter ‘mind movies’.
Experiment with different ‘voices’ – strong, soft, silly, or silent – to talk back to your busy or unkind mind, such as firmly redirecting thoughts or using humor, to manage their power.
Compile a list of your favorite anxiety relief tools that resonate with you, and practice them regularly until they become second nature, ensuring they are accessible when anxiety strikes.
Keep your personal anxiety relief toolkit list in an easily accessible place and set reminders (e.g., on your phone, Post-its, jewelry) to prompt you to use a tool when needed.
Consistently practice anxiety relief tools that resonate with you until they become second nature, so you can effectively use them when anxiety takes over.
Continue to practice your anxiety relief tools even if you still feel anxious, as consistent effort in quieting your mind, questioning thoughts, and soothing your body will eventually diminish the anxiety.
When overwhelmed by sensations, shift your focus to a healthy distraction or another anxiety relief tool.
Make the conscious choice to sit with your anxiety, agreeing to listen to it and talk to it kindly, which can help you learn what the sensation is trying to teach you.
Refrain from using substances or harmful behaviors like drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or eating disorders in an attempt to cope with or tamp down anxiety, as these strategies are ineffective and detrimental.