I was having a down day recently (we all get them!) and thought I’d share with you a strategy that often works for me.
Three practical ways to reduce anxiety:
Acceptance
1) Acceptance is accepting the good and the bad of your current life circumstances. This doesn’t mean giving up or becoming passive but rather it helps you to gain perspective by accepting that life is inherently tricky and challenging at times. Making peace with the situation can decrease the anxiety associated with the issues. Accepting what is rather than going into victim mode (ie. why me? Life’s not fair…)
Mindfulness
2) Mindfulness – try to stay in the present moment and engage all of your senses in your surroundings. Focus on the noises, the smells, the sights etc..try to keep your mind from straying. Often, we find our mind wandering to the future where we start to make anxious predictions about what might happen. Be aware of this inner chatter and refocus back to your surroundings the present.
Unhook from your busy mind
3) Unhook from your thoughts be aware of your inner critic and/or negative thinking. Acknowledge the thoughts but try not to buy into them. Don’t accept them as fact or reality. They are only your perceptions and assumptions and not necessarily the true representation of what is actually going on.
Mandy X
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
