Life throws always sudden reasons to be anxious and worried. They may be simple but cause annoyance and tension in our minds. That may be solved or healed after its time, but we may feel to be out of it quickly. Here is Catholic news.in suggests ways to be free from anxiety and worry instantly.
In these moments, it can be hard to slow down our thoughts as more and more anxious thoughts come in. That’s why it’s important to take a moment for yourself to get re-centered and more relaxed.
1. Do a Body Scan
To restore some inner peace is what we can call the body scan. Start by sitting comfortably in a chair or lying down — if you can, lie down and close your eyes. Take a couple of big deep breaths focusing on the lungs filling with air and the body softening as you exhale. Feel the weight of your body pressing down in the seat or the surface and pay attention to the different points of contact. Place your attention at the top of your head and very slowly scan down through each part of your body at an even pace.
As you’re doing this, notice how your body feels. No need to be worried if your mind wanders, just gently let the thought go and return to your body scan until you have reached your toes. Repeat this process a couple of times to help you relax your muscles and redirect your focus away from the thoughts that are causing you to feel anxious.
2. Go for a Walk
Bestselling wellness author Sarah Wilson, whose new book, “This One Wild and Precious Life,” says that walking in nature can have major benefits to your physical and mental state. “Twenty minutes of moderate walking, preferably in green spaces, has been shown to have massive effects on our cortisol and dopamine,” Wilson says.
If you want to get the meditative qualities of the walk, you must walk really slowly. Inhale with one foot moving forward, then exhale while stepping with the other foot. Another thing you can do imagines drawing fresh energy up from the earth on your inhale and pushing the stale, toxic energy back down with your exhale.
3. Rest Well
Racial justice educator and spiritual activist Rachel Ricketts says that when she feels overwhelmed, she looks to emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical rest for reclaiming inner peace. “This is one of the areas I am personally working on the most because it is really hard to overcome social programming to constantly do instead of be, especially as a Black woman,” she says.
The author of the book “Do Better,” added that she cannot show up for herself if she hasn’t given herself sufficient time to rest. “I like to take a moment to ask myself, ‘How does my heart feel?’ so I can catch when I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious, and then if and when I am, I do my best to find a way to introduce more rest into my life.”
Rest is about much more than sleep. Sometimes rest looks like taking a nap, but it can also look like sitting in silence, connecting with my breath, turning off my phone or phone notifications, declining the temptation to help others before myself, or saying ‘no’ without explanation.
4. Soften your body
When we’re stressed everything just clenches in and we’re immovable. Loosening up can help ease that tension. Stiles suggests either sitting or standing and bending your knees a little while softening your elbows or shoulders. This process will help you feel more relaxed and ease the anxiety you’re experiencing.
5. Meditate
Anita Moorjani, international speaker and bestselling author whose new inspirational book “Sensitive is the New Strong” suggests taking a moment to meditate and breathe when you’re feeling overwhelmed. “Your mind will be calm in minutes,” she said.
6. Have a Cup of Tea
There’s a version of meditation that you can do with just a cup of green tea. This practice can help bring you back into the present moment if you are wandering through your stressful thoughts.
Take a comfortable seat and hold your mug of tea in both hands. Just notice the shaper of your mug and its colour. And also the liquid inside the mug. The fingers feel the warmth of the tea. The idea of this practice is to get your senses working again since they typically shut off in stressful moments.