Start INVESTING into your to Wellbeing

A cause for anxiety! Choosing to Spend your time on things that do not bring you anything back but stress and anxiety.

You like everyone else probably give every other thing in your life all your physical and mental energy, like your job, shopping for things, social media, the news etc This is where all your full attention goes and leaves nothing left for your own personal human needs and calm. No wonder you are feeling overstretched and anxious.

We spend so much of our time with these things that are designed to distract us, that we are neglecting our Mind, body and spirit, and reaching straight for a quick fixer when this causes us to feel bad.

When was the last time you stopped at least once in the day to INVEST your time?

Today, become aware of where all your time is being spent, and start investing in project YOU, for wellbeing and reduced anxiety.

Get your calendar out and begin putting in 30 mins a day of anxiety-reducing tips and techniques dedicated to you. Each person is different, there are things you will enjoy and others that are not working for you, but this is your discovery.

Start today!

17 Organic positive steps to reduce stress and anxiety

1. Become an expert about anxiety: Self-knowledge is power and the most positive step you will take to reducing anxiety symptoms. Learning what anxiety is? and the physical and mental symptoms will first help to remove the fear of anxiety and panic. Then you can begin to answer the question that nags us all ‘Why is this happening to me?’ We all have different causes for anxiety and you will have to learn about yours. When you can recognise anxiety symptoms creeping in, you can use your self-help positive steps before it becomes overwhelming and you will feel so much more positive.  Read about Fight-or-Flight response and Cognitive Behavioural therapy.

2. Start a Worry Diary: Look inside yourself. Have you had many worries? Your thoughts and fears written down are better than banging around your head, it’s a good release and things can seem a lot clearer. Sometimes we are so used to feeling the way we do, or putting up with a situation that we have forgotten that it is causing us so much stress. My thoughts would seem to be physically banging the inside of my head, I would feel dizzy. Try the Thought Management Download

3. Reach out to your support network: The first people are family and friends, a support network is to support your feelings and give a friendly ear. You may feel that there is no-one that you can turn to, giving you feelings of depression and isolation. There are other ways to get support, your local doctor is the first person you should contact and they will have all the information about help in your area and put you in contact with them so you do not have to feel alone. There really is something in talking to a stranger about your problems you will not feel guilty about telling them and it is such a relief when you do. Alternatively, there are support groups online, huge community’s of people going through similar things check them out! Email me anxiety.wellbeing.coach@gmail.com with any questions about coaching or just an initial chat.

4. Change that negative thought: Although it is hard, and feeling like an impossibility, it’s time to retrain your brain. A bit like giving up smoking. I’m not saying fight your thoughts, the opposite, let them pass, don’t let them scare you. Don’t give the negative thought any time. Then quickly change the subject. Have a list of statements or ideas that make you smile or distract you to a better thought, have this list with you. When you find that negative thoughts are taking over, whip out your list, focus on it, then go back to what you were doing. My list of positive statements: ·  

       “I really must water my plants so they can grow beautifully”, then I imagine my plant looking fabulous, this takes my thoughts to a lovely garden. ·        

“I can’t wait to watch my favorite program tonight, I really like that actor” “That actor really cheers me up” ·         “Oh if I won the lottery what would I do?” this statement normally keeps my mind occupied for a while. My list of ideas: ·        

Put on your favorite song to get up sing and dance, feel good ·       

Imagine your favorite place mentally add details, My place is a beach, I’m sitting in the VIP, its warm and calm and I can hear the sea. There is also a gorgeous man serving me a drink, haha ·        

Put on a quick YouTube, some comedy that makes you laugh out loud. Go to anxiety_wellbeing on Instagram, for motivation, positive quotes, ideas and community You will have your own ideas of what you want your list to be. It’s not an overnight transformation, you will have to be strict and even if you feel it’s not happening, don’t give up! Any step to a better positive mindset is a great step. I mean how many years have we all been training our brains in the negative, try again and again and again, and it’s fun to change to positive, makes me smile.

5. Start taking a supplement today, mother natures XANAX: Magnesium, I know I keep raving on about Magnesium. Although it may sound so trivial to start a supplement, this really works, Really! Naturally, our body’s need Magnesium in order to keep, anxiety, headaches, muscle cramps, tiredness, irritability, at bay. Stress is a big factor too, stress actually reduces your magnesium levels meaning you need to take in extra magnesium. I have to take 250g-300g of Magnesium Citrate (one of the best forms of magnesium for high absorption in the body) every day. This is known to help anxiety, it calms you. I started this 6 years ago after a locked jaw in the morning, now if I don’t remember to take this for 4 days, Oh dear, a pin can drop and I’m ready to scream the place down. I can not live without it. Why not try them out for a month. * Magnesium Citrate can have a laxative effect, which suits myself. Speak to a pharmacist for more information on which form or Magnesium would suit you best. Also, Magnesium can effect other medicines you may be taking so it is always a good idea to get some advice from the doctor or pharmacist.

6. Don’t forget to breath: This may sound ridiculous But, I would sometimes feel dizzy and like I was going to faint, but after following the first step learning about me and my anxiety,  I realised that I would stop breathing when I was thinking negative thoughts, it had become natural. No wonder I felt dizzy! Take 5 and try a mental body scan, I can always catch myself unconsciously holding my breath when I do this technique. There is an app that I have worked with called Breathwrk, they have short videos to help you to easily follow breathing exercises using visual and sound cues, check them out, get practicing today.

7. Take a five-minute meditation: Where ever you are, at the bus stop, in the cue at the shops, waiting for the pasta to boil. Concentrate on your breathing for five minutes, breath in and say the words in your mind ‘breath in’, and do the same for’ breath out’, focusing on the words will help to focus your mind.

8. Relax your muscles: Stop right now and do a mental body scan, Close your eyes, focus on your body, mentally scan your body from top to bottom, where are you tense? I bet you are tense somewhere as we speak, focus and find that tense place, now try to relax that area, whilst slowly taking in deep breaths In and out.

9. Try a relaxation App: These are great any time of the day when you have 10 minutes, especially bedtime, to help to switch off the brain and think of a calm scene somewhere on a hill or a beach (nice huh!) You don’t have to physically get away to get away, apps like Calm, and End anxiety, have lovely soothing commentary to bring you down from the day.

10. Yoga: There are many classes popping up all over the place, guess we all feel like relaxing. It would be great to make new friends and talk about your day. There are many Youtube videos also if you can’t get out, try a 15 minute one at home. Try this relaxing one

11. Get Arty: The art of Mandala is known to have a meditating and relaxing effect. There are plenty of ideas to help you online or Instagram. People are positively promoting Mandala art as an Anxiety Buster. Plus you do not have to be a Picasso to do it. There are even books at the newsagents now for posh colouring in (That’s what my mum used to call it 😊) check out the Guest Post -Anxiety Therapy- Mandala A Diary Without Words

12. Try some Essential oils: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Vetiver, there are many oils for reducing anxiety and inducing feelings of calm and relaxation, whether massaged into your body or inhaled in a nice relaxing bath or a drop on your pillow at night.

13. Bring a plant into the bedroom: Lavender, Jasmin, Aloe Vera. Not only will a plant look nice, bringing the outside inside gives a real calming feel to a room, but also these plants are known for reducing anxiety. example: Lavender can reduce anxiety and stress, lower your heart rate, and improve your sleep.

14. Exercise: You could join a class for aerobics while socialising (which alone does you the world of good!) You will be releasing a chemical called Dopamine from the brain that promotes happiness. Exercise can work as well as meditation. Regular exercise can reduce anxiety, stress, and depression over time. If you can’t get out and find that extra hour, there are many 7 minute workouts that I try on YouTube. We can all find at least 7 minutes. x

15. Do what you enjoy: What do you enjoy doing? Or what did you enjoy doing? Maybe you have not given your hobby any time lately, or even had the time to start what you’ve wanted to try for years. Maybe you like writing, or being creative, or trying that dance class. Don’t wait, Come on let yourself have some YOU time. It is important! Life is for living!

16. Increase your water intake:  Dehydration has all the same symptoms of anxiety that can sometimes be anxiety triggers such as dizziness, Tiredness etc. Water is all you need to keep hydrated, many of us are dehydrated because of low water intake, caffeine drinks are known to dehydrate you, not enough vegetables in our diet that contain essential extra water. So keep yourself topped up! I also use water to help if I am feeling panicky, I take small sips and focus on my breathing.

17. Reduce your sugar: A quick drop in energy can trigger feelings of anxiety. Try to introduce foods into your day that have a stable sugar release, processed foods high in sugar, like cereals, cakes, jam, chocolate, they will not get you through from morning to lunch without feeling that sugar dip, they are quick-fix foods that give us a rapid energy high for the moment, the problem with this is as quickly as we get a sugar high, we get that sugar low and you can feel like, “quick I need something to eat I’m feeling weak or tired”, this used to be one of my triggers for anxiety. There are foods I didn’t even know had sugar in like bread.

This is not the end of the list, as I’m talking with people about their anxiety, they are giving me more tips to share with you guys. I hope this is giving you some hope and inspiration, some ideas and a new outlook about anxiety. Changing a negative into a positive is what it’s all about.

anxiety.wellbeing.coach@gmail.com

Take the first positive steps and start your Anxiety Wellbeing Plan today!