There has been a lot of studies regarding the role of mindfulness in dealing with anxiety. Entire researches being carried out to that effect. One particularly effective one is called the MBT- Mindfulness-Based Therapy. The main idea of this is to treat anxiety by acknowledging the feelings instead of ignoring them.
The notion of facing our nemesis might seem very scary. As someone who suffers from a mildly chronic form of anxiety, that’s how I look at it- my nemesis. I was never taken by the idea that mindfulness can help me in tackling it. Sure, people said that meditation works. But I have always found it too difficult to even try to meditate when my gut is twisting itself into knots. However, there came a point when I realized that most things were not working and I might as well try to see if mindfulness actually helped.
So, as with everything in my life, I started off with extensive research. By research, I mean reading every related article on the Internet. I also read works by Thich Nhat Hanh during this time and it was his book “At home in the world: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk’s Life” that finally inspired me enough to give mindfulness practices a try to reduce my anxiety.
In the end, I decided to do things my own way and see if there was any respite down the road or not.
And it worked.
I had imagined that I will see slow results. But imagine my surprise when I started feeling the benefits almost immediately.
So what did I do?
No, I did not try meditating or breathing exercises. From past experiences, I already knew that I would not be able to stick to them for long and would stop trying altogether. Instead, I found little activities where I could engage my mind without trying too hard.
Coloring Exercises
I have mentioned how painting is one of my foremost passions. It is perhaps the only activity in my life that I can do anytime and without any complains. So it was natural for me to seek comfort in my colors. Now every time I start to feel nauseous from anxiety (and yes that’s how my body reacts to it), I turn to my adult coloring books.
There is a reason I choose to paint in my coloring books during these episodes. You see, I don’t have to think about what to draw. It’s all there. I just put all my energy into choosing my colors and paint away. And that is meditation to me. By being mindful of the process of creating art, I feel a sense of calm.
Household Chores
Recently I realized that I had started reaching for the vacuum when I am waiting to hear back from my clients after submitting a written piece to them. The sound of the machine forces my mind to come out of the thoughts and focus on the cleaning instead.
And that is not the only household chore that soothes me. I find the most mundane acts to be so calming during my anxious moments. And it is not just me, a lot of people all over the world find comfort in the repetitive, boring tasks like folding laundry, chopping vegetables or making their beds.
The key is to divert the mind and such chores are absolutely successful in doing that. And once the task is finished, I find that my anxiety levels go down and I can see the situation in a much rational way.
Talking to a close one
Well, this might sound a bit unconventional. But I have found that talking to a very close person actually helps me to reduce my anxiety in a very positive manner. During such conversations, I make it a point not to rant. Instead, I ask pointed questions about what the other person would have done in that same situation and listen with intention. Most of the time I find that the answers allay my fears.
The thing is I do this with only a couple of people may be, so as to have very honest feedback. My mom and my best friend are now quite used to me calling them with such questions; my husband not so much yet.
However, I don’t recommend doing this too often as it can result in a tendency to dump problems. That defeats the whole purpose in the end.
A walk in nature
I borrowed this practice from my husband. Whenever stuck with a problem that makes him anxious, he just takes a walk outside. He says that it helps take his mind off the issue at hand and helps home think better.
Initially, I was not convinced that this would work for me because I am someone who tends to harp on things and is not easily distracted. I was sure that no amount of cute dogs during my walk would help reduce my anxiety. However, eventually, I don’t know when exactly, I started this practice myself. Just being outside lets me focus on other things and does get my anxiety levels down.
Dissociate and find answers
And finally, the most dreaded thing. After trying out the above-mentioned things, one day I thought of trying the basic principle of MBT. I realized that while distracting myself with other tasks was working, I needed something stronger to handle my mind. And I knew my anxiety levels weren’t too high for me to face (I consider myself lucky for that).
So I started checking in with myself when I could feel the first physical signs- restlessness, tightening of the stomach, palpitations, etc. I will admit that it was and still is tough. But when I ask myself “why are you worried?” (And yes, I speak to myself in that way), I get answers. And my tendency to analyze kicks in. I dissociate myself from the feeling momentarily and think as if I am someone else trying to address my friend’s anxiety.
Now that I am writing it down, it feels weird. But I can assure you that this by far is the most effective thing that I do.
Dealing with Anxiety
Anxiety is not an easy thing to deal with, even in small amounts. People who are prone to chronic anxiety live a life of constant stress. Its impact is not only on mental health but also on physical well-being. In my younger days, I used to be quite afraid of the bouts of nausea during moments of tension. It took me a long time to make the connection between this symptom and my anxiety levels. Now I just prepare mentally for the queasiness when I am high-strung.
Practicing these mindfulness steps have helped me to reduce my anxiety in a more effective manner. I am not a trained professional and this in no way is medical advice. On the contrary, this is something I have personally practiced and gained from. It might or might not work for you. But, maybe you can give these a try or think of other similar activities to make your life a tad bit easier. I just hope that my experiences help you with some useful ideas.
Peace.
Do you have any related experience or story to tell? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
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