Over 17 million people suffer from some form of stress or anxiety. Ironically, it’s the pursuit of relaxation and comfort that typically causes us to be so stressed. Modern society has effectively created that which it was trying to avoid in the first place, and today more people have clinical problems with stress than any other time in history.
If you suffer from stress in one form or another this article will attempt to give you some resources to alleviate it in the most gentle, effective way possible. Of course, due to the space limitations, this article cannot offer ALL of the effective techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, but consider it a starter course- If you want to move onto something more in-depth I’ll be suggesting a great book to you at the end of the article.
So here are 3 extremely effective techniques to reduce stress and anxiety:
The first technique I’d like to share with you concerns the way you think about your problems. One of the many ways stress is created is through “worry.” We worry about what will come of certain situations and we try to think of ways to solve them. But because we really can’t ACT to solve the problem right there and then, our bodies sit in pools of cortisol and we feel the nagging sensation of stress.
But what would happen if we were OK with whatever outcome happens to manifest? What if we could imagine the worst possible outcome and say: “You know what, if that happens, it will be terrible, but I’ll accept it and I’ll move on.” What would happen then?
Well, if we truly accepted the worst case scenario then our stress surrounding it would dissipate. Why? Because we are no longer worried about what will happen- we’ve imagined the worst case scenario and convinced ourselves that we will carry on regardless.
So the next time you find yourself worrying about something take a minute to identify what it is that you’re fearing and then think about the worst possible outcome. Ask yourself: “Would my life end if that happened?” “Would it really be SO bad?” “What would I have to do to move past the situation?” “How might I do that?” Once you answer these questions you will experience space around your stress, and you will have taken the first step to relaxing through your problems.
The second technique is called “Watching the energy.” When the stress or anxiety comes to the surface the worst thing you can do is try to resist it. Instead, allow it to be there, and focus on the feeling.
This may sound counter intuitive to a mind accustomed to avoiding anything painful, but it has been scientifically proven that putting your attention on negative energy makes it dissolve. So instead of resisting the energy (which actually ADDS to it) allow it to be there. Say: “You’re here and I accept that.” Then, “watch” the energy and try to feel it completely. Just sit there with it without judgment, and feel the waves of energy as they move through your body.
If you practice this technique right when the stress or anxiety comes up you will be amazed with the results. Remember, there is never a way to move away from your stress, but there is always a way to move through it.
The last technique to reduce stress and anxiety is with meditation. For many westerners this word conjures images of expressionless people huddled in a dark room sitting motionless for hours at a time; the experience of which can only be described as “boring.” Though it’s certainly understandable why one would scoff at something as ambiguous as meditation, countless studies have shown that it is one of the best ways to dissolve stress quickly and permanently.
The reason meditation reduces stress and anxiety is because it is within our thoughts that these emotions first manifest. When you meditate you take yourself out of your thoughts and bring yourself into the present moment. When you can stop thinking, even for small periods of time, the stress will melt off of you like hot butter.
The most effective way to meditate is to watch your breath. The breath has been one of the most popular focal points for meditation because it is one of the few involuntary bodily functions that can be controlled consciously. It is also formless so your mind cannot necessarily draw tangible pictures around it; that is to say, it helps you to “stop thinking.”
At first your thoughts will be overwhelmingly powerful. You’ll be focusing on your breath then suddenly you’ll start thinking and your mind will carry you away like a powerful flood. When this happens simply bring your attention back to your breath. The worst thing you can do is get frustrated with your thoughts and actually try to fight against them. This is not the right approach. Instead be gentle with yourself, look at the thought with no emotion and let it dissolve. With practice you will be able to “stop thinking” for longer periods of time.
Just 20 minutes of meditation each day will significantly reduce your stress and anxiety. There are many people out there that have gone from agoraphobics who were stuck in their homes to public speakers just because of meditation- yes, it really is that powerful.
If you found this article interesting and you want to learn MANY more techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, I highly suggest the Stress Relief Guide. It gives many powerful techniques and is considered by many to be the go-to book for overcoming stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. CLICK HERE to get it now.
