Dear Anxious to be Calm:
Feeling like life is out of your control can happen to anyone. When it becomes paralyzing, however, it is really time to change things up. The first thing you have to realize is that this panic response is a habit. Like all habits, Anxious, this one, too, can be broken. As the mind can never be empty, we have to deliberately fill it. An oft-made error is telling ourselves what you will not do!! Anxiety comes unannounced, so being prepared with a well-rehearsed script is essential. Prepare a three- or four-statement story to tell yourself and repeat it five times a day. When stress levels get high, start using your phrases. Learning more about anxiety will also make it easier to manage. Calmness and peace will fill the old habit as you practise your story. Anxiety’s power will diminish. You will take control of your responses to these thoughts and situations, and therefore you will change your feelings. Books, I recommend are Mind Over Mood (a workbook) by D. Greenberger and C. Padesky. Another pocket-size gem is Little Ways to Keep Calm and Carry On by Mark A. Reinecke, PhD. Change happens in small increments, so be patient with yourself. Physically, your body needs adequate sleep, high quality minerals and proteins, minimal sugar and alcohol, and regular exercise. This will help lower your cortisol levels and replenish your calming chemistry. Remember: talking about your feelings can be very freeing — you strategize well when you hear your own words spoken aloud.
Elann
Email: dearelann@gmail.com for advice and help.