As I look back over 2018 with all its twists and turns, I realize that I am most thankful for finally learning how to handle my anxiety. I let anxiety be my constant and pernicious companion for over thirty years, but this year I finally made the choice not to let it rule my life for another three decades. Since anxiety affects millions of us, I thought it might be helpful to give some strategies for how I finally learned to manage it:
· Adopting a mindfulness practice. I purchased a few books and regularly visit the Zen Habits blog and actually put all their guidelines to use.
· Practicing yoga. I’ve found establishing a mind-body connection has made me more aware of when anxiety is starting to rear its ugly head.
· Learning deep breathing techniques. When I feel anxiety taking hold, I breathe in for 4 counts then breathe out for 6 counts. This especially helps at night if your mind is racing and you have trouble falling asleep.
· Taking up a journaling practice. This has been a very helpful strategy. When something is troubling me, I write it out in my journal, and I find that the act of writing down my concerns helps to alleviate some of the tension.
· Spending more time in nature. This one has been a bit tricky since I live in Florida and we’ve been grappling with red tide lately, but I’ve discovered alternatives, such as visiting a nearby park.
These are just a few strategies I’ve used, and I have to tell you how good it feels not to succumb to every stressor that comes along. We live in highly stressful times, but I keep reminding myself that becoming stressed and overwhelmed and oftentimes ill as a result of all this tension does nothing to help anyone. If we’re calm and we’re healthy, we can remain grounded and take positive actions to contribute to our society and counteract some of the negativity we see every day. And that’s something to be thankful for!
One final note: Thank you, Angela, for generously providing authors with the space to share a little about ourselves.
Blurb
Ariadne Alton, lady’s maid par excellence, is in desperate straits. She has just been sacked by her employer and has nowhere to go—until, that is, she sees a letter requesting a bride for Viscount Holt. Not even a haunted estate or rumors of the viscount’s eccentricities will stop Ariadne from securing her husband even if it means concealing her true identity . . . until she falls in love.
James Knighton, Viscount Holt, has no intention of taking a bride, especially when his mother has seen fit to auction him off like livestock by sending out a proposal letter to a neighboring family. Then he sees Ariadne for the first time and decides marriage could be just what he and his ailing estate need.
Will their new love be strong enough to withstand deception and the estate’s sly ghost?
Author Links
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-bride-for-the-viscount-sara-freeze/1127092598?type=eBook
The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5295-a-bride-for-the-viscount.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraFreeze
For me, yoga and deep breathing helps to center me each day, Sara. I'm so happy you've found some wonderful tools to help with your anxiety. Your book sounds lovely, and I've added it to my tbr list. Wishing you all the best!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these tips. Anxiety can cripple us if we let it. Great ways to fight back.
ReplyDelete