Noticing any ripples of anxiety?

Oh no! Wholly crap…gas is $4.99 a gallon! What’s next?

Just recently right here in Holland, MI I gasped seeing gas priced at $4.99 a gallon! I don’t recall seeing that here in Michigan before. And, I began to experience little ripples of anxiety that led to me being a tad on the cranky side too.

I must confess it’s taking me a bit to work myself out of my cranky side. It comes and goes. Mostly depending on what my mind is focused on.

The mind—our power tool

It’s so easy to get all caught up in my thoughts. Those thoughts can so easily produce doom and gloom, frustration and hopelessness and lots of worry and anxiety too. I feel that tension in my body—stomach uneasy, tight neck, shoulders and jaw muscles.

In reality, all that doom gloom and ripples of anxiety about the future I create with my mind. And it is nothing but my own darn thoughts. It’s not real. They are just thoughts.

What is real are the signs depicting the price of gas at this moment. And right now, I do have choices. For example, I can buy some or none, use less or the same.

In addition, I can notice the thoughts that lead to those ripples of anxiety, label them as thoughts and let them go to trickle down the stream of my mind’s thoughts. I don’t have to hold on to the and replay them over and over again creating not only ripples of anxiety but misery too.

To diminish those ripples of anxiety

There are some simple tools we can use to diminish the intensity level of those ripples of anxiety. These tools are actually most helpful if we practice with them on a regular basis too.

-Take a breath break. Simply sit quietly, close your eyes and notice your breathing. When your mind wanders away as it will do, notice that and gently and kindly bring it back to your breath. Do this for a few minutes or for a certain number of breaths. Even a couple of deep breaths will calm your system.

-Go for a walk outside. Notice what you see, smell, hear. Especially pay attention to those bird tunes. They brighten us inside just hearing them sing.

-Grab a pen and paper. Write down a list of things you are grateful for today. Big and small stuff it all matters. Gratitude is a powerful influence on our emotional state.

-Listen to some music. And an added benefit would be to move your body as in dance to the tunes you are hearing. Both music and movement help our body to relax.

What if those ripples of anxiety just won’t calm down?

If you are struggling with current events and can’t work your way out of those ripples of anxiety do know you are not alone. Recent reports point to a rise in the number of us experiencing increased anxiety.

Do reach out for support and that includes seeking Anxiety Therapy. You can contact me today to start your healing journey!

JD’s Midlife Tools For Living Practices, Holland, MI
Offering Heartfelt care, Compassion and Coping Tools