5 Mindfulness Techniques That Will Ease Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions across the globe. People can be triggered by different things and exhibit a variety of symptoms. Unfortunately, anxiety typically doesn’t just “go away” on its own.
In most cases, therapy or counseling is needed to help with anxiety. A therapist can help you explore some of the underlying causes that trigger your fears and worries, so you can begin to process and work through them. But, battling anxiety requires more than a therapy session once a week.
There are also things you can do every day to ease anxiety, including practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness isn't just a buzzword, and many of the techniques are useful in calming the everyday effects of anxiety.
Let’s look at five techniques you can use to ease those irrational fears and take control of your thoughts.
1. Let Go of Perfect Expectations
When you’re anxious about something, you’re usually thinking of a “worst-case scenario." You want things to be perfect or as close to them as possible. Unfortunately, building up those expectations can cause you to become even more worried.
When you’re practicing mindfulness, there’s no room for perfection. Thoughts will come and go – positive and negative – and you can learn to let go of them rather than holding on. If your expectations start to creep in and you know they’re unattainable, let them pass by like a cloud.
2. Come Face-to-Face With Your Feelings
One of the biggest mistakes people with anxiety make is trying to ignore their feelings. By pushing them down or trying to avoid them, you’ll only end up making things worse. Feelings demand your attention, and they're worth paying attention to.
So instead of shoving them aside, choose to come face-to-face with your feelings in moments of mindfulness. When you do, you can give them a chance to breathe. This will also allow you to work through them, rather than letting them bombard you all at once.
3. Rate Your Anxiety
Many people tend to give their anxiety more power than it truly has. One way to prevent that and make it more manageable is to rate your feelings of anxiety.
To do this, stop what you’re doing and focus on your breathing the next time you feel anxious. Remember to stay in the present and concentrate on how you’re really feeling. Once you’re calmer, give your anxiety a number rating from 1-10. By rating it, you'll realize that it's not as significant as you initially thought.
Another good idea to de-escalate your anxiety is to “personify” it. What color is it? What shape is it? By turning it into a tangible thing in your mind, it becomes less overwhelming, and you’ll know you can crush it.
4. Find a Quiet Moment
For some, anxiety can be fueled or triggered by chaos. Life is stressful, which can cause those overwhelming feelings to move quickly. If you’re starting to feel inundated and worried, find a quiet space. Whether it’s your office, a bathroom, or even your bedroom, go somewhere that you can be completely alone.
Take a few minutes to close your eyes and meditate. Be mindful of where you are and how you feel, and focus solely on your breathing. Sometimes, a simple, quiet moment can make a huge difference in how anxious you feel.
5. Step Outside
Multiple studies have shown the benefits of nature for mental health. When feelings of anxiety start to overwhelm you, being outside can make it easier to move past those fearful thoughts.
Go on a nature walk and observe your surroundings. Focus on the breeze, the sights, the smells, and the sounds. Mindfulness is about being in the present moment, and there is no better place to appreciate the present than when you’re outside.
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If you’re struggling with anxiety, these mindfulness techniques can be used daily to help manage your fears. Keep them in mind and put them into practice to take control of your thoughts and your life.
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