How to train your mind to reduce anxiety
Your mindset can be a formidable ally or a formidable foe, especially during these stressful times. The simple practice of mindfulness-centered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you train your mind to serve you well.
Mindfulness practice also helps us keep a distance from our thoughts rather than 100% identifying with them. When we disagree with our ideas, we can see them as separate from us and more easily realize that they are not necessarily true.
Step 1: Embrace the moment
Here's a simple exercise to consciously walk into the present moment when you're feeling anxious or upset:
Sit comfortably in a quiet place and close your eyes.
Slowly inhale into your lungs, count to four, pause briefly, then exhale, count to eight.
As you breathe, feel your shoulders drop and your weight on the chair.
In this exercise, it's normal for your brain to keep generating thoughts, so you don't have to try to stop thinking. When you pay attention to your body and your breath, let your brain do what it does.
Repeat the inhalation and exhalation three to five times.
Step 2: Determine your idea.
Next, pay attention to what your brain is telling you. Like does that mean you're going to fail? Will something bad happen? Can't you handle it? Whatever the story, find it and write it down. The written part is important. Don't skip this step: there are things that can help you process these thoughts more objectively.
When you're having trouble coping with anxiety, try the following exercises:
When you feel anxious, stop and ask yourself, "What was just going through my head?" Given your thoughts, the anxiety you feel is probably justified.
Do this three times a day to practice recognizing anxious thoughts.
Step 3: Know the Alternatives
Finally, realize that there are other ways to check the situation. For an example of a need for a ventilator, another story: "I may develop a mild case and recover without complications." Note that if you believe the alternate story rather than the original automatic story, you There may be different feelings and much less anxiety.
Remember, you don't need to convince yourself of another option. Also, you can't necessarily convince yourself. No one can see the future, so we can't say. But simply recognizing that your anxious thoughts are not necessarily true can help loosen your grip on them.