Hi everyone,

It’s amazing to see how we all, almost universally, sense that anxiety comes from worrying about highly improbable future events. And that staying in the moment helps.

I’ve found that getting OUT OF MY MIND really helps when I’m anxious. Since all our anxiety inducing thoughts are just that…thoughts running around in our minds. So what I’ve learnt to do is:

1) I try to name the feeling: For e.g: “I’m feeling anxious” or “I’m feeling angry”… Just recognizing the feeling and saying it out loud can be helpful.

2) Remind myself that I’m NOT my thoughts. That thoughts and feelings are temporary, they come and go, like leaves floating in a river or clouds in the sky…

3) Do a brief body scan mindfulness: This seems to bring my awareness out of my own mind and into the present moment in a very tangible way. If anyone is interested, here is a good one by Elisha Goldstein: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsCVqFr6j1g

4) Do just one small thing that would help me feel a bit more in control of the situation: like if Im anxious about a presentation coming up, just do a mental practice one more time. Or if I’m anxious about a trip with my kids coming up, maybe email a friend who has been there for some tips on best places to eat with kids or where are the 24 hour pharmacies etc; Anything. However small, taking that action to problem solve for yourself can help you feel calmer.

Have a peaceful rest tonight everyone 🙂

-Kavetha

Maybe these can help:

The Gift of Anxiety: 7 Ways to Get the Message and Find Peace (article)
http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-gift-of-anxiety-7-ways-to-get-the-message-and-find-peace/

Control over anxiety (recent post)
http://ariellauthentic.tumblr.com/post/48196766527/control-over-anxiety

Healed by Anxiety (book)
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63389
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/healed-by-anxiety/id444815549?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/healed-by-anxiety-ariella-baston/1103715058?ean=2940011327032&itm=1&usri=ariella%2Bbaston

Dear hopequrewellness/ Reader:

The original post on this thread is dated April 3, 2013: the first day of any member posting on the forums, I believe (looking at the earliest pages, 809-810, I cannot detect a post earlier than April 3, 2013). There are big differences from what the forums looked back then, and what they are today. On this thread of nine years and 5 months ago, 17 members (10 of them attached photos of themselves) submitted short posts, one post per member. There were no conversations/ interactions between members. Nowadays, way fewer members answer the OP (hardly anyone with a photo), and for as long as the OP is willing, there is plenty of conversation between responders and the OP. The posts submitted are most often way, way longer than the posts on this early thread, sometimes very, very long (particularly mine), delving into the depths of issues.

Here is what members in this thread, wrote in regard to overcoming anxiety (the title of the thread):  “Learning to live in the present moment was life changing for me… Whenever I shift my focus from what might not happen tomorrow to what I can enjoy today, I feel a sense of relief… living in the present moment has always kept anxiety at bay. Whenever I notice myself focusing on the ‘what ifs,’ taking a deep breath and reminding myself to stay in the present… I came across a relevant quote by Lao Tzu the other day… “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present”…

“Negative thought: She hasn’t called me so she doesn’t like me anymore. Balanced thought: I don’t know that.  Actually, there could be hundreds of reasons why she hasn’t called me. Maybe she’s busy..  The point is, there’s no evidence to prove anything. All of these are just thoughts. I think the Buddha may have been the first  cognitive behavioral therapist…

“I’ve always found that anxiety is arguing with What Is… For me, anxiety is triggered when I’m denying my current reality….

“I gain relief by journalling all of my thoughts without judgment. I also take a walking meditation to connect with nature… Yoga… Breathing exercises and a daily mantra… I’ve found that getting OUT OF MY MIND really helps when I’m anxious. Since all our anxiety inducing thoughts are just that…thoughts running around in our minds. So what I’ve learnt to do is: 1) I try to name the feeling… 2) Remind myself that… thoughts and feelings are temporary, they come and go… 3) Do a brief body scan mindfulness: This seems to bring my awareness out of my own mind and into the present moment in a very tangible way… 4) Do just one small thing that would help me feel a bit more in control of the situation.. Anything. However small, taking that action to problem solve …relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation… talking to a therapist…”.

Thank you, hopequerewellness for bringing this old thread to the first page. I hope to read more from you.

anita