I get anxious. Most of us do. It’s especially terrible when we get anxious of our anxieties.
We start to PANIC and our thoughts and feelings get:
- Perturbed
- Anxious
- Nervous
- Irritable
- Chaotic
For me, when anxiety hits, it feels like my thoughts and feelings are amplified. My mind is running 100MPH, and I am about to crash and burn.
How can we have PEACE?
- Pause and take deep breaths.
Breathing helps slow down our flight or fight response.
- Exercise.
Go for a walk. Run. Ride a bike. Exerting physical energy helps your body relax. It also produces endorphins and other feel-good responses.
- Ask why.
Why are you anxious? Do you even know why? Thinking about it will help you get a better perspective. It could help you reduce anxiety by identifying some of the triggers, see below.
- Consider a key phrase or action.
What will you say or do when anxiety hits? Maybe at home your key action is to pet your dog. If at work, maybe a key phrase to tell yourself is, “I am ok”, or “I can and will calm down in just a few minutes.” Maybe, for you, prayer is the key action when gripped by anxiety.
- Eliminate the triggers, where possible.
Does caffeine heighten your anxiety? Reduce your caffeine intake. Does the news amp you up? Don’t watch it. Your phone causing anxiety? Put in on “Do not Disturb” for an hour or two.
Philippians 4:6-7, “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Just a Thought 