Anxious Feelings

Stress and Anxiety Self Help

When you're experiencing anxious feelings, notice what's happening in your body and your mind.

Often with anxiety, people have physical sensations such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, and a racing heart and their thoughts are focused on concerns and fears.

For a comprehensive and informative list of anxiety symptoms, click this link.

If you experience anxious feelings regularly, I encourage you to make a shift in your lifestyle. Use any or all of the stress reduction approaches on this site and let go of anxiety.

Stress and Anxiety Self Help

If you're dealing with anxious feelings right now, I suggest three techniques.

1. Breathe through it. Relax your body by imagining a relaxing experience like being at the beach or on vacation, getting a massage, or laughing with friends. Use a guided relaxation technique like a body scan or progressive muscle relaxation to help you relax if one is available.

   If this doesn't work or your thoughts are racing then...

2. Purposefully change what you're thinking about or focusing on. This takes discipline and focus - kind of like splashing your face with cold water.

   You may need to talk out loud - I do. I'm not able to radically change my thinking without speaking out loud.

   To intentionally change your thoughts, either talk out loud about the opposite of what you're anxious about or completely shift your focus to another subject. For example...

   If you're feeling anxious about work, talk about what's going well at work - no matter how small. And only talk about what's going well. Or talk about a hobby you had as a child or a book you read two years ago.

   If you're worried about your health, talk about how healthy you are now. Or talk about a party you enjoyed or how nice the weather is.

   If this doesn't work...

3. Write down what you feel anxious about. Then ask yourself if there is anything you can do about it.

   If there is, write a list of all the things you can do and then decide if and when you'll do them. If not, ask yourself if you can let it go - remind yourself the anxiety doesn't help anything and in fact may be affecting your health.

   Here are two examples:

   1. I feel anxious I won't have enough money to pay the bills this month.

      I think there are some things I could do about it.

      I could get a part-time job.

      I could visualize receiving a check for $5000.

      I could go to networking events and sell my CDs.

      I could do a promotional offering for my services.

      I don't want to do any of these things, but I think I could take some time tonight to brainstorm on some more things I could do. I think I also need to explore what needs to shift inside of me so that I'll be willing to increase my income.

      I'm willing to explore both of those things tonight.

   2. I feel anxious about having to see my friend Roxanne at the party Friday night. The last time we were together she seemed upset with me and despite my many phone calls to her, Roxanne has not spoken to me.

      I could explore more deeply why I have anxious feelings about this...

      I guess I feel anxious that Roxanne doesn't like me any more - that I've done something to upset her.

      Is there anything else I could do? I don't think so.

      Can I let it go? It's hard because I want everyone to like me.

   This is a tough situation because we can't control what's happening with other people.

   To keep feeling anxious doesn't make any sense, but for someone who is concerned about what other people think it can be difficult to let it go.

   If this were me or one of my clients I would suggest two things.

   One is to work with the desire she has that everyone likes her by exploring earlier memories associated with that feeling.

   The other thing to do is go back to step two and focus on something else. If there isn't anything you can do about a situation - don't think about it.

   For more information about anxious feelings go to stress anxiety relief.