Contact Us Today! 602-882-9982
Relationship Lovecast Podcast
Scroll below to listen to podcast episodes designed to nurture your heart, transform your life and enhance your well-being.
True Potential TV
Click on the image below and be redirected to my True Potential TV channel where you can access an abundance of tools, resources to help heal your heart, transform your life and enhance your well-being.
truepotentialtv
10 Suggestions To Managing Anxiety and Stress
Do you feel excessively anxious and worried more days than not? Has your anxiety lasted for at least 6 months in different areas of your life (i.e. events or activities)? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may meet the criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The specific symptoms are associated with three (or more) of the following:
- Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbance
Often times when we feel scared or overwhelmed we may either find ourselves trying to control our environment to gain a sense of peace and calm or we try to escape by avoiding or withdrawing from the situation. However, these strategies are often short-lived and lead us eventually down the path of restlessness, uncertainty and self-doubt once again. If you feel powerless and overwhelmed by excessive worries, ruminating thoughts and/or the external stressors in your life, you may find yourself overly stressed, tired, irritable, depressed or uptight.
An alternative strategy is implementing habits and practices in your daily routine which help calm down your central nervous system and cultivate a sense of peace and inner tranquility. This post will offer you some helpful suggestions on how to slow down, manage your thoughts and start investing in your emotional, mental and physical well-being.
1. Take Action- Keep in mind GAD is not a life sentence if you are committed to taking action and making some changes in your thinking and behavioral patterns. The first step is choosing to commit to a new way of operating and prioritizing your self-care time by removing distractions and creating boundaries around your anxiety manage routine.
Invest time and energy towards improving the quality of your body, mind, heart and soul. Remember you are worth it and are more valuable than all the tasks you have to do. Although it may seem counter intuitive to put your well-being above your to-do-list, studies show that by taking occasional self-care breaks you are not only more efficient and effective, but also more productive and focused when doing your work. By practicing the following suggestions regularly and making them part of your daily routine, over time you will begin to find inner peace and clarity of mind.
2. Slow Down-People living with anxiety often are in survival mode (i.e. fight, flight or freeze response). When our defenses of Fight and Flight are set in motion the body releases an enormous amounts of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol.
The brain is flooded with norepinephrine to increase alertness and our ability to act. However, too much over an extended period of time causes the brain to malfunction.
Cortisol rearranges the distribution of energy to assist with prolonged stress (i.e. increases heart rate and increases blood pressure, etc.). However, elevated levels of cortisol and stress hormones can: damage the Hippocampus, cause a breakdown in memory and consciousness, affect mood leading to depression and fatigue, negatively impacts the immune system, creates Amygdala confusion, elicits an overabundance of fear response to non-threatening events (i.e. startle response, and Frontal Lobe difficulties).
To shift this negative cycle of stress and anxiety, we need to learn to be still and silent, to become conscious and aware of our urge and behavioral tendencies and to slow down the process so we are not automatically responding to thoughts, feelings and events in old, familiar, and unhealthy ways.
3. Meditation: Learning the art of meditation and practicing it regularly has many healthy benefits such as: reducing fears, helping to control thoughts, helping with focus & concentration, increasing emotional stability, improving relationships, lowering oxygen consumption, decreasing respiratory rate, increasing blood flow and slowing the heart rate, decreasing muscle tension, helping to keep things in perspective, providing peace of mind, increasing happiness, helping to discover your purpose, increasing compassion, growing wisdom, deepening understanding of yourself and others, and bringing the body, mind, spirit in harmony just to name a few. The following video is an example of a mediation exercise.
4. Exercise: Cardio exercise and physical movement is an incredible stress reliever. Just choose your favorite physical activity: dancing, running, outdoor biking, yoga or kick-boxing and get your heart moving today.
5. Get Connected To Your Body: Connecting to your body is an effective strategy to calming the mind. Our body is an important, yet often overlooked aspect, of our well-being.
In our fast paced world there are demands and pressures coming at us from all directions including ourselves. When we are under stress, our mind begins to process and solve problems to gain a sense of order, control and certainty; however, over-analysis and worry can become counter productive and lead to an increase in anxiety and tension.
A helpful way to get your body back into a state of balance is by connecting to the powerful resource of our body.
6. Hypnosis: Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and inward concentration. The hypnotherapist brings about deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness, also known as a trance which allows people to tap into their internal resources, be able to make personal changes and learn how to manage their own lives more effectively. In using hypnosis or self-hypnosis people are allowed to gain more self-control and access more of their potential.
7. Just Breath: If we have a shallow breath our brain is not getting the appropriate level of oxygen it needs to manage stress effectively. By deepening your breath and practicing breathing meditations regularly you will begin to improve your mood and state of mind.
8. Get Out Of Your Head And Into Your Life: Over-analysis leads to paralysis. By using a thought stopping techniques you can begin to stop your active mind and begin taking action in your life. It is hazardous to over-think and ask fear-based questions without answering them. Start by saying STOP to the ruminating thoughts and begin to answer ONE of the questions you are asking yourself.
By just answering the questions in your head is not sufficient because you are maintaining an activated emotional state of mind. Instead get it down on paper by journal or writing your rational thoughts on a paper. A way of challenging unproductive thoughts is to use a Thought Regulation Technique.
9. Manage Your Time Effectively: Being realistic about how much time there is in a day is the first step towards time management. The second is learning to say no to yourself and others. Often times we become stressed and anxious because we have overextended ourselves or set unrealistic expectations on ourselves. Begin setting boundaries around your time so various aspects of your life are not blending into one. Review the Effective Time Management List to make positive behavioral changes in your life.
10. Build Mastery: Instead of being filled with self-doubt and rumination begin integrating these skills one at a time. Instead of getting stuck in the cycle of indecision and procrastination, get some perspective and start taking action. Begin focusing your attention on progress, NOT perfection otherwise you will self-sabotage your efforts. Fortunately with time, effort and consistent application of these strategies you can begin to enhance your well-being and decrease your anxiety level.
If you feel overwhelmed about implementing these strategies or have tried them but don’t make as much progress as you would like you may benefit from one-on-one attention with a Licensed Professional Counselor. EDMR is an effective and brief approach used in a counseling setting to decrease triggers, PTSD symptoms, Social Anxiety, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive or Addictive tendencies as well as Depression and Complex Trauma. For more information you can contact me at True Potential Counseling.
Daily Routine for Stress Relief
According to Ayurveda Philosophy there is a simple and easy stress reduction routine you can use daily to feel a deeper sense of peace and relaxation. The full routine takes approximately 1 hour to complete and it is recommended to do the full sequence in the morning. However, if necessary can be broken up into smaller portions throughout the day. The routine goes as follows:
1) Start everyday with a large glass of warm water.
2) Wash your face.
3) Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue.
4) Yoga Routine: Do the following poses while breathing in through your nose and with your mouth closed exhale from your throat making an ocean-like sound. Breathing this way will allow you to fully exhale all the carbon dioxide and receive fresh oxygenated air with each breath. The combination of movement and deep breath allows the central nervous system to relax and calm down fully.
2 minutes in child pose
2 minutes in downward dog
30 seconds each arm doing the threading the needle pose
2 minutes in the sphinx pose
Then child’s pose again for 2 minutes
Then downward dog again for 2 minutes
Mountain pose for 1 minute
1 minute warrior pose both sides
1 minute rag doll pose
2 minutes bridge pose
2 minutes knees hug
2 minutes corpse pose
5) Alternate Nostril Breathing exercises for 5 minutes: Please see the video for details.
6) Meditation exercise for 5 minutes: Please see the video for details.
7) Walk with a Nasal Breath outside for 10 minutes: Same breathing routine while doing yoga. See above.
8) Massage body with oil for 5 minutes: Massage the body starting with the feet and then up your legs. Next massage your hands and your arms in the direction of your heart center. Then your scalp, face and neck in the direction of your heart center. Next your shoulders, back, stomach and heart.
9) Take a Shower: Wash the body using the same routine as the body massage with each stoke moving in the direction of the heart center.
10) Eat Breakfast: Sit down and eat your meal slowly. Savor each bite while drinking a warm cup of water or tea.
For more tips on managing stress or learning relaxation techniques you can contact True Potential Counseling for more details.
Helpful Tips for Adrenal Fatigue
In the plethora of physical ailments and symptoms, it may come to no surprise that mainstream doctors don’t recognize adrenal fatigue symptoms initially. Since up to 85% of all illnesses stem from emotions such as stress, fear, anxiety and anger it is no wonder how our mental and emotional state has a dramatic impact on our physical health. Stress is the primary cause of adrenal exhaustion and today I will offer some practical steps to help you rebuild your adrenal health:
1. Deep breathing. Deep breathing encourages relaxation and relieves stress by lowering heart rate and blood pressure and easing muscle tension. This allows us to slow down our sympathetic system (the accelerator) and allows the parasympathetic system (the brakes) to kick into gear.
2. Improve your diet. Eliminate sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and alcohol. Either completely eliminate or severely reduce caffeine intake as caffeine is a stimulant which stresses the adrenals. Focus on clean protein (including nuts and seeds), which balances blood sugar and produces adrenaline; fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamin C, bioflavonoid and minerals – fuel for the adrenals; beans and legumes which are fiber-rich and stabilize blood sugar and healthy fats, which also regulate blood sugar and fight inflammation.
3. Adequate and Restful Sleep. Take time to rest and refresh yourself every day. It is recommended to avoid any visually stimulating activities 1-2 hours before bedtime, such as using the computer or watching television. These tend to activate the mind making it more difficult for the central nervous system to calm down. Unplugging from the routine by going for a walk outdoors, listening to your favorite music or reading a book can help bring you back into balance. Your adrenals are replenished between 11pm and 1am, so it is recommended to go to bed by 10pm to allow your adrenals to recharge. If insomnia is a problem, taking 10-30 milligrams of zinc before bed may help as well as reduce cortisol levels. Moreover, there is also an anti-stress drink powder called Natural Calm to balance calcium intake and restore healthy magnesium levels is especially helpful with improving sleep. Hypnotherapy is also a very useful approach to improving sleep and calming the body on a deeper level during waking and sleeping hours.
4. Specific Supplements. A good, whole food multi that contains vitamins and minerals, which are particularly important for adrenal health. At Wholefoods there is an amazing product called GREENSuperFood which provides your body with a rich array of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins C and B-complex, which are especially nourishing to the adrenals and green drinks like wheat grass and spirulina, an alkalizing source of trace minerals, protein and fiber; inflammation-reducing omega-3’s like cod liver, krill or flax seed oils; and the amino acid L-glutamine to improve your intestine’s absorption of nutrients that can be compromised during stress. Adaptogenic herbs such as astragalus, rhodiola and Tulsi or Holy Basil are also nourishing to the adrenals and help your body adapt to stress.
5. Water. Adequate hydration is necessary for overall health. The basic formula is one-half your body weight in ounces daily. For example, if you are 150lbs., drinking a daily dose of 75 oz of water is advised. If you exercise or live in a climate that is especially hot or humid, drinking an additional 16 oz. is beneficial for optimal health.
6. Manage stress. A stream of negative thoughts leads to overproduction of stress hormones. Becoming aware of your thought patterns is number one. Prayer, meditation, faith confessions, praise, worship, practicing mindfulness, yoga and gratitude are excellent methods of stress management.
7. Regular exercise. Exercise a great way to release endorphins and stress. And it is free. Just remember to keep it moderate to low in intensity so you don’t stress the adrenals any further. It is ideal to exercise before 8:30am instead of in the evening, since this allows the adrenals to redevelop more quickly and help you manage stress more effectively throughout the day instead of taxing your system at night.
For more information please visit my website at www.TruePotentialCounseling.com.
