5 Practices to Alleviate Anxiety
The practice of shifting our gaze to the horizon can support our nervous system to move from anxiety to a calmer physical and mental state.
When anxiety has a strangled hold on us, I know how overwhelming it can be. If you’re anything like me, it totally changes the filter on how you see everything in life. It’s scary, consuming, physical and exhausting. Add catastrophising to the mix and it’s a real s%*t show.
Often when we are in the midst of feeling anxious, it’s hard to know what will help us feel better. So…below I have listed 5 beautiful practices that support our nervous system to calm (think…a long noisy exhale) and shift our perspective. The practices are not about changing or denying your experience but they will allow you to find some space and relief. These are my trusty 5 that I incorporate in my life very regularly and I hope that they help you find some relief too.
1. Breathe – of course this is my number one. While there are some amazing breath techniques and rhythms that can support us, if I’m having a hard time, I don’t have much capacity or inclination to think. So, I just notice my breath. That’s it. Just. Notice. It. I bring my awareness to how my breath enters my body, does the air feel cool or warm? Is my inhale fast or slow? Where does my breath go? Does it get stuck anywhere? Chest? Stomach? Ribs? Where does it feel easy in my body? Can I direct my breath? If I’m having a particularly challenging time, I like to place one hand on my stomach and one on my chest so I can get a tangible sense of my breath entering and leaving my body. I do this without judgement and without trying to change my breath at all. Just get curious. Our breath is always there to support us.
2. Shift your attention to a long view – often when we are overwhelmed with anxiety, our attention is narrow. I once had a therapist explain to me that it was like I had a pillow pressed against my face and I couldn’t see anything else. So, I started to play around with this. I would narrow my gaze on something right in front of me and then shift my gaze to the landscape as far as I could see. I would do this regularly as a practice and I have found that it really supports me to remember when I’m overwhelmed to shift my gaze. This practice supports our nervous system to shift, even just slightly, from being in flight/fight to a calmer and more engaged state. Sometimes, we don’t know why we are in an anxious state but our nervous system is super smart and it’s trying to protect us from something. So, this practice will support you, even when you’re not sure why you’re overcome with anxiety.
3. Gratitude – this is a really common practice now but if you’re not doing it, give it a try. You can change what you focus on, whether it is a general list of things you are grateful for that day, or things you are grateful for about yourself. The gratitude list also helps you to find some space in seeing life that is happening around us which is outside of our direct anxious experience. It’s space, and it also supports us to start to develop different neural pathways by shifting our experience ever so slightly.
4. Be with others who will keep you company…just as you are – being in the company of others who don’t seek to change your experience but who have a sense of calm about them, can totally sync your nervous system in with theirs. I saw a cartoon once which was depicting empathy (might have been a Brene Brown post…) and there was a person sitting in the bottom of a hole and another person climbing down the ladder with a sandwich to sit with them. This is…being with. The thing with overwhelming anxiety is that we are very aware it’s a rubbish way of feeling, and it’s not the best ever to have others telling us that we need to be more positive or snap out of it – despite their love and best intentions for us. Take notice of people that you feel calm around and seek them out when you need to.
5. Walk gently and slowly – your mind and nervous system will follow. If you can, do this in nature, then you’re totally juicing up on all of the beauty that nature has to provide as well. You will get to know the pace that feels right for you and it will change too. For me, a fast walk just adds to my anxiety. A slow, gentle walk calms my nervous system. Notice how your feet connect to the ground underneath you. The sound your footsteps make. The view in front of your feet and the view into the distance. Remember to breathe. Try going barefoot.
I would love to hear if you already have your own practices. Take care and be gentle with yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed.