Anxiety. It’s a real issue plaguing us in droves. We think about our anxieties. We talk about them. We try to figure them out. But here’s the thing – THINKING about anxiety rarely works to CALM anxiety. I want to encourage you to connect your thinking to your body and breath.
Remember the Three Bs: Brain, Body, Breath.
1) Brain. Notice signs that you’re experiencing anxiety. Maybe these are physical, mental or emotional. Once you’ve noticed, acknowledge the anxiety. You can even just say hello to it. It sounds weird, I know….but here’s why it works: you’ll start to notice the part of you that’s saying hello, and the part that’s being greeted. Two parts. It allows you to watch your anxiety without becoming your anxiety.
2) Body. Face down postures are effective in calming anxiety. Lie down on your stomach, or in child’s pose with knees together or apart. If standing, you can fold forward on your desk, counter top or table. Fold your arms under your head and lengthen your spine, creating space in the front of the body.
3) Breath. The technique I’m focusing on this time is lengthening the exhale. It’s as simple as it sounds. There are many, many ways to do this. But any time we lengthen the exhale, we slow the heart rate, focus the mind, and calm the body.
There you go – three B’s. Let me know how it works for you!
