Let’s Recap

Greetings and welcome to part 3 of this short series on anxiety. Throughout this series, we’ve explored the symptoms of anxiety in part one and delved into the impact of societal norms and expectations on mental health in part two.

We asked thought-provoking questions about our engagement with social media and celebrity culture and how they can negatively affect our sense of self-worth and identity. Today’s blog post dives deeply into some of the most powerful anxiety tools and tips, including tenets of cognitive-behavioral therapy, and lifestyle adjustments, to help you get from panic to peace and enjoy a more balanced one. It’s great to have you on board so let’s get right on in!

Society’s Messaging

Have you ever stopped to consider the various factors that shape your beliefs, desires, and aspirations? Perhaps without even realizing it, there are various forces that hold significant sway over nearly every facet of your existence. Consider, for instance, the media, which bombards you with messages each day about what you should strive for in terms of appearance, fashion, and other such matters. Educational institutions similarly direct you toward certain career paths and values. Meanwhile, your upbringing, political leanings, religious beliefs, and even the subcultures you inhabit all work together to shape your worldview. Even the celebrities you idolize and the social media platforms you frequent contribute to your cultural conditioning. While this conditioning is not inherently good or bad, it can lead to inner conflict and emotional turmoil when it clashes with your true self, resulting in a state of dis-ease.

Due to the fact that 99% of brain activity happens subconsciously, much of your speech, behavior, and perceptions occur without your conscious awareness. Consequently, you are often unaware of what is affecting or influencing you and simply absorb the stimuli in your surroundings. Without any means to question and challenge ideas and beliefs imposed on you by others, you may find yourself drawn into a void. As you continue reading, you’ll find some of the most powerful anxiety tools and tips, and coaching techniques for questioning and resisting external ideas and beliefs, particularly those that do not support or serve you in any meaningful way.

These techniques are intricately woven into the tenets of cognitive-behavioral therapy. A methodology, in essence, that revolves around the interplay between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors – and how each impacts the other. It uncovers some powerful strategies for not only reducing your levels of anxiety and improving your overall well-being but also for challenging limiting beliefs and ideas that conflict with your personal values and who you are at the core.

Understanding the Connection Between the Mind and Anxiety

The relationship with your mind and its ability to influence your life’s trajectory is immense. Here it is you’ve been blessed with this magnificent organ that evolved over millions of years that can either propel you to great heights or plunge you into the depths of darkness depending on how it is nurtured, developed, and cultivated.

Thus, the relationship with the mind and its potential are both significant and dynamic. I think of it as a ‘you get out what you put in’ tool a sentiment shared by the father of positive psychology, Martin Seligman who talks much about the importance of ‘putting in’ life-affirming ingredients such as adopting an optimistic outlook to enhance our well-being. Seligman suggests that negative thinking is the root cause of mental disease. But negative thinking and self-talk don’t stem from unconscious conflict, unresolved childhood issues, or brain chemistry, but from conscious thoughts. He states that emotions are a direct result of our thoughts; for instance, thinking “I am in danger” leads to feelings of anxiety, thinking “I am being wronged” leads to feelings of anger, and thinking “I have lost” leads to feelings of sadness. Changing these lifelong patterns of negative self-talk can cure and impact mental health in a very positive way.

Real or Perception?

The way you perceive things has a significant impact on your interpretation of the world and your overall life experience. Since reality is subjective and everything is perceived through a particular filter, your perception is a crucial factor in navigating life effectively.

Incessant worrying about future events that haven’t happened yet for example signals imminent danger to the brain and triggers a heightened state of physiological arousal as the body anticipates negative outcomes.

According to Scaccia (2017), every thought triggers the release of some kind of chemical in the brain. Positive thoughts, such as those associated with happiness and optimism, lead to a decrease in cortisol and an increase in serotonin, which results in a sense of well-being. When serotonin levels are balanced, individuals tend to feel happier, more composed, less anxious, more attentive, and emotionally stable.

So perception or reality? Fear and anxiety ‘feels’ real, and the emotions generated by these thoughts are also real. They are in fact so real, you feel them in your body as perhaps a pit in your stomach or racing heartbeat, there’s no question that these feelings are real, right?

Let’s delve a little deeper and explore more powerful anxiety tools and tips to address this proposition.

1. Cognitive Restructuring

Identifying Negative Thought Patterns: Changing negative thought patterns by questioning their validity and replacing them with more positive and realistic thoughts.

Replacing an irrational thought with a rational thought and taking the general and making it specific, plus throwing in some action, not only changes the thought but also repaves the neural pathways of the brain. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

Take job security for example which is very real for you in your mind. ‘If I lose my job how will I pay the mortgage?’ ‘Suppose I’m not able to get another job.’ ‘What if I end up homeless?’ Thoughts that trigger justifiable fear that lead to your anxiety. So, let’s change the way you look at this, step by step.

Step 1: Recognize the irrational thought and identify the trigger

Take a moment to reflect on your thoughts and identify the ‘irrational belief’ related to job security that is causing you anxiety.
Pinpoint the trigger that led to this thought, such as a recent news article about unemployment rates or a negative comment from a colleague.

Step 2: Challenge the irrational thought and replace it with a rational one

Once you have identified the irrational thought, challenge it by questioning its validity. Is this thought based on facts or just your fear?
Replace the irrational thought with a rational one that is based on facts and evidence. For example, instead of worrying about losing your job and ending up homeless, remind yourself that you have skills and experience that make you employable and that there are resources available to help you find a new job.

Step 3: Make the general specific

Rather than worrying about job security in general, break it down into specific action steps. Ask yourself, what can I do today to improve my job security? For example, you could update your resume, network with colleagues, or develop new skills that make you more marketable.

Step 4: Repave the neural pathways of the brain

Over time, practicing the above steps will help you retrain your brain to think in a more rational and positive way. By replacing irrational thoughts with rational ones and focusing on specific action steps, you can help repave the neural pathways in your brain and create a new way of thinking about job security. (the way you look at job security has now changed!)

Step 5: Take action

Take action on the specific steps you identified to maintain job security. This could involve updating your resume, attending networking events, or enrolling in a training program.

Step 6: Repeat the process

Changing your thought patterns is an ongoing process, so be patient with yourself and repeat these steps as often as necessary. Over time, you will find that you are able to more easily recognize and challenge irrational thoughts and that your overall mindset is more positive and optimistic.

2. Behavioral Activation:

Behaviors That Involve Activities: Engaging in activities that bring you pleasure and a sense of achievement in order to improve your mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

Identifying specific behaviors that are likely to improve your mood and quality of life increases engagement in these behaviors on a regular basis. This can involve activities such as exercise, socializing with friends, pursuing hobbies or interests, or simply engaging in everyday activities that are enjoyable, rewarding, or meaningful. Focusing on positive behaviors, can increase a sense of control and self-efficacy, and reduce the impact of negative thinking patterns in your daily life.

Maybe you’re wondering how to begin the process of discovering the things you enjoy. Wonder no more! I use this Coaching Tool with my clients to help bring MORE of what they love and CUT OUT what they loathe in their life. It’s a great way to get started! And it’s FREE!

And here are even more anxiety tools and tips for Behavioral Activation:

• Create an activity schedule: This involves identifying activities that you enjoy and scheduling them into your daily routine. This can include hobbies, exercise, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in creative pursuits.
• Setting achievable goals: It is important to set goals that are challenging but attainable. This can include personal, professional, or academic goals. Achieving these goals can bring a sense of accomplishment and increase motivation. This article is jammed-packed with goal-setting paraphernalia which you may find useful.
• Increasing social interactions: Social isolation can lead to negative thoughts and feelings of loneliness. Behavioral activation involves increasing social interactions by joining clubs or groups that share similar interests or attending social events.
• Self-care: Taking care of yourself is an important aspect of behavioral activation. This can include getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in activities that promote relaxation and stress reduction. (When was the last time you checked in with yourself? Why not do it right now with my Self-Care Check-In & Needs Review, one of my favorite Coaching Tools? 😊)
• Exercise: Exercise not only provides physical health benefits but also releases endorphins that improve mood and energy levels. Incorporating exercise into a daily routine can be a simple and effective way to improve overall mental health. According to a study published in Frontiers, regular exercise may reduce the risk of developing anxiety by nearly 60%. The study analyzed data from over 400,000 individuals over a period of more than 20 years. Read more HERE.
• Gratitude journaling: Keeping a journal of things that you are grateful for can help shift your focus from negative to positive experiences. This can improve mood and increase motivation to engage in positive activities. Need a journaling prompt? Try this.
• The Power of Visualization and Positive Self-Talk: Visualization and positive self-talk are powerful tools that can be used to combat anxiety. Research in neuroscience supports the efficacy of visualization and positive self-talk techniques in reducing anxiety and improving cognitive performance. Functional MRI studies have demonstrated that mental imagery and self-talk activate the same neural networks as actual physical experiences, promoting the formation of new neural connections and neural plasticity. As such, individuals who regularly practice these techniques can strengthen their capacity to manage anxiety and build mental resilience.

It seems that standing on solid ground in the fullness of who you are, gives a real boost to your self-esteem, confidence, and performance.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Deep Breathing:

Relaxation Practices: Practicing deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and promote relaxation.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques are powerful tools that can help alleviate physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety. If you’re struggling with generalized anxiety disorder, you may experience a range of physical symptoms such as muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, and even shortness of breath. In these situations, deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation techniques can be immensely beneficial in reducing the intensity of these symptoms and promoting relaxation.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can reduce your heart rate and activate your body’s relaxation response thus calming your mind and regulating your breathing. To practice deep breathing, sit or lie down in a quiet place and inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat this cycle for several minutes, focusing on the rhythm of your breath and allowing your body to fully relax.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation techniques can help you release tension and stress. The practice involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body, starting from your toes and moving up to your head. For instance, you can tense your calf muscles for a few seconds and then release the tension, allowing your muscles to fully relax. This exercise can help you become more aware of physical sensations in your body and enable you to let go of tension and anxiety.

With consistent practice, relaxation techniques can help you manage the physical symptoms of anxiety and feel calmer and more centered. It’s the perfect addition to any self-care routine. I use a similar tensing-relaxing technique in this Guided Meditation.

As I wrap up this blog post, I want to remind you that anxiety is something that you have, not something that you are. It doesn’t define you. You are so much more than your mental health struggles, and you have the power to shape your life in a positive and fulfilling way. Throughout this post, we’ve explored some powerful anxiety tools and tips that can help you achieve lasting change, such as changing the way you look at things and incorporating exercise into your daily routine. By taking small steps and making incremental changes, you can start to feel a real difference in your overall well-being.

Remember, change begins with you, and you have the ability to create a life that truly reflects your innermost desires. So stay tuned for my final blog post next week, where I’ll dive into the power of mindfulness and its potential impact on your overall well-being and share even more powerful anxiety tools and tips to support you on your journey toward an anxiety-free life. Thank you for reading, and keep shining bright! For more posts like this, sign up for my NEWSLETTER, and feel free to contact me if you would like to SCHEDULE a one-on-one conversation. ❤️

With grace and gratitude

Michelle

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