{"id":7424,"date":"2017-04-24T17:11:41","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T23:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kimmariecoaching.com\/?p=7424"},"modified":"2017-06-02T08:02:03","modified_gmt":"2017-06-02T14:02:03","slug":"5-ways-to-mitigate-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kimmariecoaching.com\/spirituality\/5-ways-to-mitigate-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Mitigate Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, I expressed some radical ideas about the root of anxiety<\/a>.\u00a0 That article was intended to offer some solace and comfort in the knowing that you\u2019re not alone in feeling anxiety and all that tends to come with it.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re living in challenging times, and there are many things generating anxiety on every level.<\/p>\n

Still, with greater awareness and practice, we can begin to navigate this world of uncertainty and find a sense of peace that mitigates anxiety.<\/p>\n

I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but I\u2019d like to share five things that I\u2019ve been doing over the years that have made a huge difference in my capacity to deal with anxiety and stress.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Consider, What\u2019s the Worst that Could Happen?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When I get anxious about something, I often ask myself, \u201cWhat\u2019s the worst that could happen?\u201d More often than not, this question alone is enough to bring calm. Even though something before me feels very uncertain, as I\u2019m able to consider the worst outcome of the situation, I find myself feeling more relaxed and more aware of my circumstances, i.e. less uncertain.<\/p>\n

For example, if I\u2019m feeling anxious about meeting a deadline, I ask myself what\u2019s the worst that could happen if I don\u2019t meet it. Of course there are consequences, but most of the time, in asking this question, I realize that the consequences are not so extremely dire that I can\u2019t deal with them if they were to happen. If I lose a job, I\u2019ll find another. If I upset someone, I\u2019ll make it right. If I miss an opportunity, another will come.\u00a0 This question reminds me to have more faith, and to remember that throughout my life, even when things haven\u2019t worked out as I wanted them to, and even if things were super challenging to move through, things always worked out.\u00a0 When I remember this, I\u2019m much better able to do what\u2019s needed in the moment to ensure the best outcome, rather than feeling anxious.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Presence<\/h4>\n

Most of the time, when we feel anxious, we\u2019re worried about something other than this moment.\u00a0 We\u2019re thinking about the next thing to come, wondering what will happen. This puts us in the future. Or, we\u2019re feeling worried about a decision we made that perhaps we regret, or thinking about something that happened and stewing over that.\u00a0 This puts us in the past.\u00a0 When we presence ourselves, we return to this moment. The quickest way I\u2019ve found to do this is to say to myself, \u201cFeel your feet.\u201d Feeling our feet on the ground immediately puts us in the moment.\u00a0 From there, we can tune in to how we\u2019re feeling in our bodies, and then tend to what is needed in this moment.<\/p>\n

I also do things like tune into my breathing, meditate, or take a warm bath to presence myself.\u00a0 Pausing and taking a moment away from the hustle and bustle of life is so important to maintain our balance and sense of peace.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Return to Nature<\/h4>\n

This is probably the number one \u201cgo to\u201d source for me as a balm to anxiety. To return to Nature, for me, is about tuning into the natural world and how it works in perfect harmony. I can do this by physically spending time immersed in Nature, or by simply contemplating Nature and Her magnificence.<\/p>\n

Nature doesn\u2019t get anxious. She doesn\u2019t worry about uncertainty. Nature adapts. Nature is self-healing. Nature honors the cycle of death and rebirth. She sprouts when it\u2019s time, blossoms when it\u2019s time, bears fruit when it\u2019s time, and let\u2019s go when it\u2019s time. She bends and flexes with the winds of change. Nature is pure, working with what it is given without believing it needs to do better than that. Nature is firmly rooted while reaching for the stars.<\/p>\n

When I remember I am part of Nature, I\u2019m able to pay more attention to how my life expresses and models Nature. It reminds me to pay attention to the food I\u2019m eating, the rest I\u2019m getting, the tension I\u2019m holding, the emotions I\u2019m feeling, the movement I need, the stillness I\u2019m craving and the relationships I\u2019m fostering.\u00a0 I\u2019m much better able to mitigate anxiety when I\u2019m staying true to Nature and my own natural needs by cultivating purity, balance, harmony and flexibility in these areas of my life.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Connect<\/h4>\n

Of course in a world in which everyone wants the \u201cquick fix\u201d or the \u201cmagic pill\u201d that\u2019s going to miraculously make all of our troubles and ailments disappear, it can be challenging to go slow and stay the course toward being anxiety free. This is why I believe connecting with other like-minded souls is so important. We each have our unique path to travel, and challenges to face, but we don\u2019t have to go it alone. Find a friend to have regular outings with. Join a local Meetup group. Connect online with groups that nourish you and reach out more within them.<\/p>\n

While we need to connect with others, and aren\u2019t meant to be isolated beings on this Earth, the most important connection you can make is to yourself.\u00a0 When you connect to yourself and remember who you are, you can then tune in to what truly matters for you in your life, and be far less likely to feel anxious about all of the other things that inevitably become less significant in this connection and remembering.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Creatively Express<\/h4>\n

We\u2019re here to be creators. I find that creativity is the best way to channel my feelings of anger and anxiety toward something effective. Whether I\u2019m creatively expressing through writing, drawing, crafting, dancing, singing or designing, I always find that creativity is an outlet that supports me in moving through challenges and blocks, as well as channeling potentially negative emotions into positive expression.<\/p>\n

We can create for ourselves, our family or the world.\u00a0 If we tune into the deeper messages of our emotions, often our creating serves a higher purpose. It serves to unveil our gifts, to solve problems, or to heal. This can happen for ourselves, our families or for the whole of Humanity and the Earth.\u00a0 And in reality, when we\u2019re healing ourselves, we are healing the whole, so keep it simple and know that even the littlest creative expressions are important!<\/p>\n

You may have noticed that none of these things take away the anxiety.\u00a0 They allow us to deal with it and keep it from running our lives.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anxiety and stress can be catalysts for change, and they are not going away.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s how we work with them that is critical.\u00a0 Change cannot come if we\u2019re stuck in the worry, impatience or unhealthy patterns we\u2019ve been stuck in.<\/p>\n

I hope these tips allow you to make anxiety your friend and inspire you toward the change you are seeking in your life.<\/p>\n

If you’d like support with mitigating anxiety and moving toward the life you know is possible beyond the stress, I\u2019d love to have a conversation and see how I can support you.\u00a0 Schedule your free discovery session with me by clicking here and choosing a time that works for you.<\/p>\n

You know there\u2019s a better way, and you don\u2019t have to find it alone!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Awaken Your Inner Power,
\nKim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week, I expressed some radical ideas about the root of anxiety.\u00a0 That article was intended to offer some solace and comfort in the knowing that you\u2019re not alone in feeling anxiety and all that tends to come with it. We\u2019re living in challenging times, and there are many things generating anxiety on every level. 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