ANXIETY

 Hi everyone!

Welcome to HAPPY DAYS Podcast! I am Kelly Ward - Your host

I hope everyone is having a beautiful week!

So today I decided I wanted to speak about anxiety and how it can really affect all areas of your life. I suffer from anxiety - it comes and goes. What I do now is I try and focus on the things that I can actually control in my life instead of becoming overwhelmed by my thoughts on the future or my experiences from the past. Having anxiety can literally control your life and also hold you back from moving forward. It is basically your body's natural response to feelings of stress. It is that feeling of fear you get from assuming what is to come in your life. I know for myself, it can also be very hard to meet new people or even go out some days because you become so accustomed to being by yourself, you can become very comfortable and it can be hard to actually step outside your comfort zone because you start to become anxious and when you start to feel that, you need to become aware of the fact that you are holding yourself back from enjoying life, growing as an individual and moving forward to experience new things. But trust me, I know it is easier said than done, so be patient with yourself, don't be too hard on yourself, be compassionate towards yourself however be more aware of what is holding you back in your life and sometimes when you look in the mirror - its you. For extreme cases of anxiety the common emotional signs are feeling nervous, restless, tense, having your heart rate increase and having no other thought in your mind but worry. 

Before your anxiety starts to overwhelm you and become more intense, try and find healthy ways to actually deal with it. Because I have experienced it myself and I know how much it can affect your life, I started researching ways to actually deal with it. Something I have learnt is that it is so important to work through your obstacles in life instead of simply putting your head down, hoping it goes away and pushing through it. This is something I have to remind myself on a regular basis because it can be easy to simply want to hide from obstacles in life, hoping they go away however that is not how life works because that specific obstacle is also meant to teach you something valuable that is going to help you in your life, so actually working through it, will not only make you stronger but you will also gain valuable knowledge through that lesson. Hardships build character. I strongly believe that. So what are natural ways to reduce feelings of anxiety. 

1. Stay active - because when you exercise on a regular basis, it not only benefits your physical health, it helps your emotional health too. Which is so important because it helps build mental clarity and you also feel good about yourself after a good workout and when you feel good about yourself, you make better decisions and you actually want to make that effort to look after your own well-being. 

2. If you do suffer from serious anxiety, I would not suggest consuming alcohol in your lifestyle. That is obviously a decision that you need to make for yourself and identify what is going to benefit your life in a positive way. Remember our habits, thoughts and behaviors create our overall life - so you need to choose what is best for you and your mind. This includes smoking as well. Unhealthy habits play a role in the way we approach life. If alcohol does not affect your life in a negative way then consume it in moderation however if you suffer from intense feelings of anxiety - alcohol and smoking are not healthy habits. 

3. Limit your intake of caffeine because caffeine is a stimulant and if you do experience those feelings of anxiety - instead of heightening those feelings, rather look for ways to encourage more relaxation in your life. 

4. Ensure you are getting a good amount of sleep because sleep not only helps you to make better decisions throughout your day, when you get good rest, your brain function is increased in a positive way because you have rested your mind and recharged your flow. 

5. Meditation - this is something I will always promote because its free, it is easy for anyone to learn and the amazing benefits of meditating include - you gain a new perspective on stressful situations, you build skills to manage stress well, you increase your self awareness which means you become more aware of your own thoughts and emotions, you begin to focus on the present moment, meditating also reduces negative emotions, it increases your productivity and creativity and you also find that your patience and tolerance actually increases too. My morning routine includes a guided meditation before I check my phone - that is my time to really calm my mind, start the day off feeling relaxed and at peace and it allows me to connect with myself and Source. I believe that meditation, good nutrition and yoga or some form of exercise are the most powerful tools for transformational growth. 

6. Eat a healthy diet - and by the word diet - I don't mean you should restrict yourself. The term diet is used to describe the foods we eat on a daily basis - I think it is so important to not label foods as 'good' or ' bad' and to also not restrict yourself from any foods because that does encourage eating disorders. What you should do - is figure out what is good for you - what foods are helping your body feel good and fueled and how do you feel when eating - be aware of the emotions when you eat as well. When you become AWARE of what is helping your body and what is mis-treating your body - you are able to make better decisions for yourself without having to restrict yourself from certain types of food. Creating a healthier lifestyle does mean developing healthier habits and a healthier mind. The two go hand in hand. So having proper nutrition is so beneficial to living a more balanced life where you are able to control your emotions better and those feelings of anxiety are relieved. 

7. Practice deep breathing - because the benefits of breathing are incredible and it is such a simple technique. Let's discuss the benefits of breathing just to remind you and make you aware of this amazing tool to relieve anxiety. So it basically reduces stress levels in your body, lowers your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces depression and calms your mind. What I suggest is sitting upright and place your one hand over your stomach area and begin breathing deeply in through your nose and breathing our through your mouth. Do this exercise about 3 times and you will slowly begin to feel more relaxed and your muscles will being to release tension. Stress ages you so try and find these simple ways to really relieve any feelings of anxiousness that holds you back from enjoying your life fully. There will always be obstacles in life - so it is so important to be more aware of how to deal with it and work through it. The choice is yours. 

8. Lastly - try listening to relaxing music. I love music. Music has a way of calming your mind and taking you to a different place where you feel happiness and peace. So find some beautiful relaxing music that makes you feel more relaxed and Zen. 

Imagine the person you want to be. Think of what the daily life, habits and routines would be. Start showing up to those habits and routines, start building them, day by day. You don’t become that person like magic. You build that person. You become it. Our habits, thoughts and behaviors create our overall life.
Start building.  Anxiety is terrible - let's be real, it is definitely not a pleasant feeling - I dislike it however it is possible to overcome without medication. Sometimes those feelings of worry and nervousness can simply be changed through your behavior, thoughts and lifestyle choices. You can totally start dealing with it from a drug free approach however if it does worsen - definitely speak to a medical professional if your symptoms worsen or don't improve because it is important to deal with it as soon as possible so that it does not take over your life. I believe that everyone deserves a good, happy and healthy life and I encourage you to seek help if your anxiety does get worse. Make yourself a priority and focus on your own happiness. 

Stress is totally normal because all humans experience stress is some way - because it is the way our bodies survival mechanism to make sure that we stay out of harm's way or so we don't fall behind on completing important tasks. However anxiety does not need to be part of our daily lives, so hopefully today's episode has provided you with some knowledge on how to deal with those terrible feelings of anxiety that may consume your mind and stop you from living your best life. I hope you feel inspired, motivated and more aware of what needs to be added into your life to assist you on your journey to achieving an overall state of wellbeing and a healthy mental state. 

Thank you very much for hanging out with me today! I appreciate that you listen every week. 

I wish everyone an amazing week ahead. 

I love you all - Goodbye :)

•