Greetings Mind Movies Community,

How are you doing? Are you hanging in there? I know there is so much happening in the world right now, which I’m sure you’re reminded of almost every day. And with so much change and uncertainty happening, we’ve noticed that many people from our amazing Mind Movies community have been reaching out recently, asking about stress management and how to get rid of anxiety. So I just wanted to check-in and make sure you’re doing okay and that you have the right tools for dealing with things like stress, anxiety, overwhelm, and so on.

Signs of anxiety can sometimes be hard to spot outright, so I wanted to provide you with some tools and daily habits you can use to identify the signs and to manage the symptoms. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed or out of control these days and are ready to take back control of your mind, you can practice these simple steps to help you feel that much better!

First and foremost, you’ve got to address your anxiety symptoms – so you can identify if you’re feeling anxious rather than avoiding the signs. Some of these symptoms are:

• Nervousness

• Feeling restless or tense

• Sweating or trembling

• Breathing rapidly or increased heart rate

• Trouble sleeping

• Feeling fatigued

• Trouble concentrating

• Difficulty controlling worry

Sometimes we default to masking common anxiety symptoms with excuses like stress or burnout from work, busy schedules, not getting enough sleep, etc., and then just moving along about our days. But unfortunately, it’s the unresolved issues that can cause anxiety symptoms to build up even more if they aren’t addressed. You see, anxiety is something that should be taken seriously, as it can have some negative side effects on our physical and mental health if left unaddressed. Identifying these feelings as anxiety is the first step, but then the second step is to find easy, calming daily practices that bring you back to center. So here are my recommendations for you:
 

Hit the pause button

As we all know, the mind is incredibly powerful. It houses the thousands of thoughts we have a day, but, unfortunately, not all of our thoughts keep us in a state of happiness. That’s why one of the best things you can do to combat anxiety right in its tracks is to take a moment to pause. If you feel yourself getting anxious or even riled up, stop whatever it is that you’re doing to just be still. Pausing and focusing on the present moment and nothing else is the easiest form of mindfulness you can practice. Taking time to pause is a great way that you can instantly shift your thoughts and emotions to a calmer state.
 

Don’t forget to breathe

Just after taking a moment to pause, try taking a few moments to solely focus on your breath. Start by breathing in for 3 seconds, then hold your inhale for 3 seconds, and then slowly exhale for another 3 seconds. You can do this for a few minutes or until you feel your body starting to relax, releasing all of that built-up tension. To help you with this, I suggest checking out this calming breathing technique you can use to carry more oxygen to the brain to help calm your entire body.
 

Make use of visualization

Using visualization to shift your focus toward the things that make you feel calm and happy is a great way to recenter your mind and pull you away from anxious or worrisome thoughts. And as the Law of Attraction states, our lives tend to create more of what our minds focus on. So to avoid creating more anxiety or stress, try visualizing something as simple as yourself on a relaxing beach or overlooking a beautiful, calming landscape. This simple practice is a great way to shift your mind away from stress-provoking thoughts in your head and into a higher vibrational state.
 

Meditation

I know I say it a lot, but meditation is truly one of the most important tools I use for protecting my mental health, so I really hope you give this a try! I prefer to meditate first thing in the morning as it’s an incredible way for me to practice a daily check-in with myself and to calm my mind and to make sure I’m setting a positive tone for the day to follow. But you can do it anytime that works for you! If you’re struggling with anxiety and stress, I can’t recommend this mindful practice enough. Try even just a few minutes a day to help manage general stress, anxiety, or overwhelm. Plus, meditation helps you feel in touch with the universe and attract more of what you want - it’s a no brainer!
 

Take a walk

Going for a walk or getting in any form of exercise is a surefire way to tackle stress immediately. Not only is staying active good for our overall health, but it significantly aids in stress and anxiety-related symptoms, as the influx in endorphins from exercising acts as a natural painkiller. Moving your body every day, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk, can have incredible benefits on sleep quality, in turn lowering our stress levels.
 

Activate the senses

You can quickly and easily tackle feelings of anxiety by engaging in activities that activate the senses. This is a great way to shift your focus to something other than your anxiety, and instead to engage in activities that are beneficial to you. Here are some of my favorites:

• Listening to music

• Using aromatherapy

• Taking a relaxing bath or shower

• Getting creative through painting or writing

• Eating a healthy meal

• Drinking a calming cup of tea

• Watching a funny movie or show
   

I hope that you’re able to squeeze in these recommendations for managing stress and anxiety into your everyday practice, as they can  help you get ahead of anxiety before it even starts. And while I have you here, I’d like to offer you something that may also help you combat stress, and that’s my Daily Flow Mini-guide.

You can use this as a tool to help you release the fear and anxiety that could be holding you back from being your best self. Ready to let go of self-sabotaging fear and start living your greatest most optimal life? Access your FREE mini-guide today! As we shift into the year ahead, I hope you can take these tips and tools with you because your mental wellbeing is of utmost importance now more than ever. Here’s to a stress-free year!

Cheers,
Nat