Mindfulness Techniques to Reduce Anxiety - Empowerment Center Counseling

2 Major Themes to Start Listening Out for Now to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Confidence.

Robin Hyson

This article will help you listen out for anxiety provoking themes, learn how to recognize them and how to start moving them out of your life forever!

Anxiety is a liar!!!

Anxiety is a liar!!! It will tell you a story of doom and gloom. Some people call it that “little voice in their head,” it’s that story that runs when we are doing something new or uncomfortable. It also runs when we are tending to the every day. When starting a new job, going on a date, giving a presentation, talking to friend, or watching our kids get on the school bus, to name just a few. There are no novel or common experiences that are immune to anxious thoughts. By recognizing these 2 specific themes, you will be able to recognize the thoughts as anxious thoughts. Therefore, increasing awareness that the story is not true. By reminding ourselves these specific themes are anxiety lying to you, we can begin to redirect them, to create less anxiety and stress, and increase calm and confidence.

2 Themes:

The worst case scenario- The fictitious worst-case scenario where something irreversible or overwhelming happens. Someone looses a limb, gets Dengue fever, judges us and hates us forever.
Death. Yes, anxiety actually lies to us and tells us that we are going to actually die from the experience! The plane will crash, I wont make it back, my throat will close up! The themes comes again and again, yet we somehow neglect to recognize that we have not died from any one of the situations anxiety lied to us about!

The stories we tell ourselves are subtle and significant

Usually, we are so used to hearing these themes and stories that we just go right by them. They are infused into our everyday thinking. So, we tell ourselves this story, and go about our day as if nothing has happened. What has happened is subtle and significant. We use self-talk and stories to make sense of the world. The way we think about things becomes our perception and the reality lens we view the world though. When we tell ourselves a story that is not real, or skewed to the negative, we barely notice and it and go about our day, worrying about the job or the car or the girl or a many numbers of things. We think about having to tend to the schoolwork, the homework, the cooking, the relationship, the night out. However, those little stories color the world and produce very real feelings within us. By becoming aware that this story rolled, this little voice did its (negative) thing, we can begin to change the story. This will result in an overall reduction in anxiety in our life. By just simply noticing the thoughts, realizing they are there, and challenging them to stop, we can live a calmer, more peaceful life. It takes effort and the result is totally worth the work!

Listen out for the themes and recognize them as lies!

If you hear that little voice in your head, that story you are telling yourself. The “what if” (insert favorite worst case scenario here), or the theme of you or a loved one dying, it is anxiety. It is anxiety lying to you. Stop the record! Pause. When you hear about death or worst case, literally pause. Remind yourself that this is anxiety!! Anxiety occurs for all sorts of reasons, and it is not the truth. Pause, take a breath, and remind yourself that this is anxiety lying to you!! You have not died from any of things you have accomplished. You have accomplished them! You may have struggled, you may have been nervous or worried, you may have had your nerves wrecked over your thoughts of yourself or a loved one doing the thing. Reality is, you have accomplished Every. Single. One of them! That is the true story! That you get shit done! That you can get though whatever it is and get to the other side.

Replace the lies with the true story!

Imagine the times in your life, when you have had to do a new thing, or even in the daily grind. Imagine if you told yourself that you are the powerhouse that you are! That you are someone who accomplishes the things you set out to do! That you get it done!!! That is a much more powerful story. When we tell ourselves a more positive (real) story, this creates more positive feelings. These feelings and thoughts become infused into our day-to-day and this become the lens we see the world though.

Flip the script.

Start listening out for the themes of anxiety. I challenge you to start today! Listen out for that little voice that tells you of death and/ or worst-case scenario. Recognize those themes as anxiety lying to you. Flip the script!! You have lived though, accomplished, and overcome all you have ever been anxious about. Heck! Some of those things even made you stronger. Remind yourself of that true story. You accomplish things you set out to do! You get shit done!

Incorporating mindfulness into your life requires practice but can significantly improve your mental health. If you're seeking support to navigate anxiety, reach out to us today. Together, we can embark on this journey toward healing.

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