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“My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.” – Michel de Montaigne
A sense of anxiety seems to be everywhere these days, doesn’t it? Believe me, I get it. There are some things of concern happening. But you know what? There always have been in some shape or form.
Ultimately, anxiety is not a useful emotion. Believe me, I know firsthand – I have at times been the queen of anxiety! So I have learned some useful strategies to minimize it ;)
When you find yourself lost in worry, ask yourself – will worrying help this situation? If the answer is no, move on to a more pleasurable emotion.
Here are 5 simple ways to lower anxiety and welcome more joy in your life:
1) Restorative Yoga
Viparita Karani, or Legs Up the Wall Pose is an amazing stress reliever (just ask my students, I make them do this pose all the time!). It’s also a super easy pose that you can do almost anywhere. Hold the pose for 5-10 minutes and you’ll feel instant relief!
How to do it here: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/legs-up-the-wall-pose
2) EFT (aka Emotional Freedom Technique)
I heard about EFT for years before finally giving it a try! (I finally tried it thanks to the awesome Bonnie Gillespie).
EFT is a very simple yet extremely effective technique of tapping along certain meridians in the body while working through negative emotions. It actually breaks that “loop” of negative emotion in your head – you know the one where you keep having the same thoughts over and over again?
This technique is seriously close to magic and it is easy to on your own. There are many great videos on how to do EFT but my favorite so far is Brad Yates.
Check out his videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiHZMZejDS4RIxDdBwoie9A
3) Magnesium
Did you know that most people, especially women, are deficient in magnesium? Magnesium is essential to the nervous system and even a small deficiency can lead to anxiety. Our ancestors used to get it from their diets but modern soil has become quite depleted of it’s magnesium and our diets nowadays are not as nutrient dense as they once were. Furthermore – in times of high stress, our nervous system uses our magnesium stores, so we need even more magnesium than usual!
I take magnesium daily. There are many ways to take it, but I love taking Natural Calm. It’s a powder that you mix with either cold or hot water and it’s more easily absorbable to the body since it’s a liquid. You can also take magnesium in spray form, simply spraying it on the soles of your feet. Magnesium is best taken at night, as it has the added benefit of helping you sleep!
4) Meditation
I’m sure we’ve all heard by now that meditation is something that we “should” be doing. But did you know that meditation can actually change your brain? A study done at Johns Hopkins University found that meditation is actually as effective as anti-depressants in treating anxiety and depression. I myself resisted meditation for quite a long time, even as a yoga teacher! But I can tell you firsthand, it really makes a profound difference in your mindset and by extension – your life!
I know that it can be challenging to find the time to meditate, but even just 5 minutes a day can make a difference? And if you don’t think you have 5 minutes in your day, try deleting social media apps from your phone ;)
There are many style of meditation but one of the most accessible ways to meditate is called mantra meditation. Set the timer of your phone, close your eyes and pick a mantra. Repeat your mantra silently to yourself over and over. When your attention starts to wander (which it will), gently re-focus back to your mantra. A mantra can really be anything but a nice one to start with is Sat Nam, which means “Truth Revealed”.
I will be making a short meditation video soon to help you on your way to a meditation practice, so stay tuned! :)
5) Movement
Movement is so underrated! I hear so many people saying they feel a sense of guilt that they “must go to the gym”, as if it’s a chore. But what if we look at movement as a gift, rather than a punishment? I am a big believer that exercise should be an activity that you enjoy, thus I rarely go to the gym. But I am constantly moving! I do yoga, pole fitness and dance. And I really enjoy it! What are some ways that you could move your body that would actually be fun for you?
Try this: put on your favorite song (or playlist, if you have more time) and just dance! Doesn’t need to be perfect or choreographed, just move to the music in the way that you feels good to you.
Besides being great exercise, physically moving our bodies gets us out of our heads and into the present moment. When you are truly present, there is no need to worry. Because really – all we really have is this present moment.
I leave you with this quote from The Dalai Lama:
“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.” – His Holiness The Dalai Lama XIV
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