Stress and anxiety are both mental problems.
Stress is related to a thought or emotion that is causing the stress.
Anxiety is a reaction to stress. It is a state that is caused by stress.
Both stress and anxiety have the same roots – your mind. Stress is in many cases unnecessary, you probably already know that. Rather than helping you resolve your situation it is making you sink deeper into it.
The problem is that stress is hard to stop by thinking about it as thinking is the cause of stress. The noise in your mind is just to strong to think your way out of it.
Stress is also reflected often in your body – in its reaction. Body is defending itself from an invisible enemy. You may experience raised tension, shivers, fever or a different body reaction. It is your organism fighting and preparing to battle an enemy.
The thing is that this enemy very often doesn’t exist. It is just a mental projection of yours.
Row To Relieve Stress And Anxiety
In order to do that you have to stop the stream of thinking that you are in. In most of cases it is a compulsive stream of thinking that you don’t know how to stop.
The solution is simple. You have to divert your attention from your mind. Stop thinking for a moment and be present. Stop everything in order to see a bigger picture. The problem that you think you have, may occur easier than you think, that’s why you have to stop thinking.
You need a clarity.
The Source Of These Methods
There are few ways to stop thinking and be present in a moment.
This is not a regular stress related article and not the common methods.
This ways to relieve stress are something far better – it is a first step to a discovery that may change your life. The following ways to relieve stress are based on a bestseller book ‘The Power Of Now’.
You may want to read the book itself as well. Here’s the introduction to the book. I really encourage you to read it.
5 Best Ways To Relieve Stress (and anxiety that it causes)
- Feel Your Body.
Focus on feeling your body from within. Try to feel its energy. This will make you stop thinking and will move your attention to the present moment. - Feel Your Hands.
As at the beginning feeling your whole body might be difficult for you, start with feeling just your hands. Fell the energy within them. This is another way that will move your attention from your mind to the present moment – to the now. - Focus On Your Breath.
Take few conscious breaths. In-and-out. This is similar to meditation. It will calm your mind. - Listen To The Silence.
All sounds have a source. The source is the silence. Look for silence that is around you. There is always a dimension of silence around you.
Listen to the silence among the sounds.
People are paying attention to the objects. In this exercise pay attention to the space. Also when you look around. Don’t look or pay attention to objects. Pay attention to the space. - Wait For Your Next Thought.
Learn to observe your mind. Observe your mind like a rabbit hole. Wait for your next though to appear. When it will appear – just let it go. Repeat. Do it for a while.
With time you will see these old thoughts coming back like a boomerangs and you will only smile to them.
You will learn to control your thinking and be present.
Here’e a short animated video that describes these techniques:
One More Important Thing – Possibly Crucial
For the sake of this moment accept everything as it is. Surrender to everything. Accept the present moment as it is.
This is a very powerful tool. This does not mean that you have to be all your life vulnerable. It means that you have to stop resisting to your thoughts and emotions for the moment.
If you will fight with your negative thoughts – they may just arise.
If you will accept everything as it is, they will weaken soon.
You will see a bigger picture of your situation and you may decide to take some action.
With clarity of mind.
Here’s a useful infographic that gathers all the described above ways to relieve stress and anxiety.
Feel free to download it on your phone. You may want to share it with your friends as well.
Good luck and stay present.