Peace Over Panic - Steps to reduce Anxiety

Feeling like you're the only one who is worried about the future?

You are not alone.

I have had moments in my life where my heart and head have been racing so fast that I thought my smart watch was going to break.

Probably the biggest thing that has been the source of my anxiety is money. That I will spend my whole working life and come to the end of it actually not really earning a cent.

That's a pretty anxiety provoking thought that does not feel nice at all.

It’s not like anybody is putting a gun to my head or my life is being threatened, but my brain biology does not care about that.

A threat is a threat a the end of the day.

And our thoughts can be threatening.

So in this newsletter, we'll dive into recognising anxiety and explore three simple techniques to help manage it. Whether your anxiety shows up at work, at home, or in social settings, you're not alone— there are ways to find calm in the chaos.

Recognising Anxiety and How to Handle It

Firstly, realising you're feeling anxious is the first big step in figuring out how to handle it.

Not sure how to recognise it? Here are a few clues:

• Your heart's racing for no clear reason.
• Your mind jumps from one thought to another.
• You're just plain worn out.

Everyone’s signs can differ, but it usually feels uncomfortable. Pay attention to that discomfort, its your system trying to tell you something.

Managing Anxiety: Three Techniques

1.???? Physiological Sigh

“Sometimes the most important thing in the day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” — Etty Hillesum a Dutch Jewish Author who let’s just say had significant experience with anxiety.

This technique is great for immediate anxiety relief. Here’s how to do it:

• Big inhale through your nose.
• Top it up with a second short breath.
• Exhale fully and chuck in a sigh.
• Repeat ?

This simple breathing technique can calm fast breathing and the heart pumping all those stress hormones within seconds. It’s free and can be done anywhere.

2.???? The What If Technique

This one’s for when you're stressing about the future.

A great way to cope is to think of different outcomes and try to see the positive side. Often, our anxiety is based on one worst-case scenario, but there are usually plenty of good possibilities too.

We tend to focus on all the bad things that might happen and forget about the good stuff. This exercise helps you fight that “What If?” bias and get a balanced view.

Think of a situation or challenge you’re facing and list both positive and negative “What Ifs.” Draw two columns: one for negative and one for positive.

Here’s an example:

• Negative What If: What if I lose my job?
• Positive What If: What if I get promoted?

This simple trick can help you avoid overthinking and see things more rationally.

3.???? The Rule of Threes (Can you tell I like threes?)

Locked in anxious thoughts? Get out of your head and into the here and now:

• Name three things you can see.
• Name three things you can hear.
• Move three parts of your body, focusing on the sensations.

Add a few physiological sighs to this practice to help ground yourself in the present moment.

Using these techniques, you can start managing your anxiety more effectively. Remember, small steps can make a big difference.

If you want to figure out this anxiety thing a bit more get in touch.

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