Do you know that being uncertain about the future affects both your mental and physical health? It leads to undue stress and raises the cortisol (stress hormone) levels in your body. Though you might feel helpless, there are ways to deal with this “anxiety of the unknown” in a healthy way. Today’s post will look at some effective approaches on how to stop anxiety that you can embrace in your daily life to deal with life’s uncertainties and alleviate anxiety to a large extent.
Practice mindfulness
Have you ever come across the term “mindfulness” or the act of living in the moment or present? It is the art of being aware of your environment and senses. Yogis and spiritual teachers often preach on the benefits of mindfulness as the path to a meaningful life. Life has its shares of ups and downs however mindfulness helps you to navigate through them with courage and faith.
Mindfulness comprises of simple elements to relax the mind and body. They are-
- Guided imagery
- Breathing methods
- Other relaxation practices
Daily practice of mindfulness helps you to eliminate stress and fear about the future.
How to use mindfulness to stop anxiety?
In order to combat the uneasy feelings of being uncertain about the future, mindfulness is the key. Mindfulness is the art of being in the moment or being aware of what you are doing at a given point of time.
When you feel the upheaval of fearful thoughts coming into your head, deep breathe at least five times to ten times. Take slow deep breaths and close your eyes. This simple exercise will bring you back to the moment and you will find yourself feeling better.
For example, if you are washing dishes and negative thoughts about the future suddenly strike, close your eyes and slow breathe at least for five times deeply. You will feel better after the fifth breath and come back to what you are doing (in this case, washing the dishes).
This simple exercise can be practiced at home or at work. In case, negative thoughts hit you on the road, make sure you stop your vehicle at a safe place. Take a moment to relax and breathe.
Regular meditation also will help you cope with the uncertainty and stop anxiety. Go to YouTube and type in guided meditation for stress, sleep, worry, anxiety etc. These sessions are simple for you to follow. You can even chant mantras to release negative thoughts from your mind. Listening to mantras or relaxing music will also help you to a large extent. You can even learn meditation from spiritual teachers who often conduct online sessions or spiritual retreats in person on weekends.
Create a daily routine and stick to it
Have you noticed that the fears of anxiety and worry hit you the most when you are alone doing nothing? The simplest and proven solution to stop anxiety here is to create a routine and stick to it. Write it down and look at it every morning when you wake up. There are certain events in life that are completely out of your control. Pondering about them is simply a big waste of time and energy. You also land up wrecking your peace of mind and those you live or even work with.
For example, think about the COVID-19 Pandemic and the sudden developments that changed everyone’s life practically overnight. Since 2020, governments of the world are tackling the coronavirus but it still is mutating into new variants. Vaccines have arrived but everyone still is yet to be fully vaccinated. These events are not in your control. Thinking about them and living in fear will only make you depressed.
Though social isolation is challenging, spend your time with work and a hobby that you like., Connect with friends and family. Be informed of the news but stay away from alarming fake news. Exercise discretion and judge accordingly,
Still wondering bout how to stop anxiety: Seek therapy, if needed
Remember, life is filled with unexpected turns and twists. If you feel you cannot accept the sudden change of events that are not under your control, seek therapy from a qualified and skilled professional. You can book an online or an in-person appointment with a therapist to help you accept and cope up with the change of an event.
Remember, a sudden change in life is not always pleasant but if you look at your day-to-day life, don’t plans change? You might have scheduled a holiday to a nice hill station for a break but the region you are off to might be under lockdown due to a surge in coronavirus rates. Even if you had planned a road trip, you must cancel the holiday. The key to being happy is to be realistic. When you have expectations that are real, things do work out at the own pace and time.
Last but not the least, eat a balanced diet and sleep at least for six to eight hours daily. Do not indulge in addiction to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes. This will only make matters worse for you and your family. Let go of those things you cannot control. Get support from loved ones and unplug yourself from social media and false WhatsApp forwards that trigger alarm and anxiety especially during the Pandemic.
All the best!
