Mindfulness Strategies to Reduce Anxiety
Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." Ambrose Hollingworth Redmoon
Anxiety is a human experience. However, when we listen too much to anxiety, we end up expending a lot of our attentional resources and energy in a state of avoiding or distracting. We can become trapped by our anxiety, believing that our thoughts about negative outcomes are likely true. To relinquish ourselves from anxiety's grip on our lives, we need to change our relationship to anxiety. Rather than fleeing, avoiding, and distracting ourselves, mindfulness supports us to relate to anxiety with greater compassion and kindness.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is purposefully paying attention non-judgmentally. This is enclosed in the two A's of mindfulness: Awareness and Acceptance.
Awareness: the observer self
The mindfulness practice invites you to become aware that you are not your thoughts. Thoughts are passing phenomena in your field of awareness, just as emotions and physical experiences of sensations, sounds, smells, and sights are passing phenomena. In the mindfulness practice, you are an impartial witness of your experience who objectively reports what is happening without judgement, evaluation, or an attempt to contribute or detract from what is happening.
Noting keeps this really challenging practice on track because it simply states what is without the least intention to interfere. Noting is a process of identifying a state of mind before we identify or act upon that state. Noting means nothing added. It means, "just this much", the moment as it is. As an example, you can silently note, "planning is here", "doubting", "fear." Surprisingly, this simple act of noting and naming our thoughts with objectivity brings ease.
Acceptance: turning towards your emotions
Unlike resignation, acceptance is part of the process that helps pull you from reactive cycles that keep you stuck in anxiety. Emotions help focus our attention and can communicate how significant an event or person is to us and likely ready us for action. Likewise, anxiety can be a useful tool in navigating the world. However, if you're suffering from high levels of anxiety, you probably try to avoid it, and manipulate your exposure to potentially anxiety-provoking people and situations to limit your experience of pain and worry associated with them. Research shows that the attempts to avoid painful emotions can make them occur more often, last longer, and cause more distress. Effort to escape an anxiety provoking situation tends to strengthen the anxious response. The "acceptance" piece of mindfulness invites us to be willing to experience our emotions, whatever they may be. When you are willing to be with your anxiety with compassion, kindness, and curiosity, you automatically reduce the amount of stress experienced around anxiety!
Develop Stress-Coping Thoughts
Stress-coping thoughts can stop or soften painful emotions.
- When you are preparing to do something anxiety provoking: "I'm going to be alright." "It's easier once I get started." "Don't let negative thoughts creep in." "I've succeeded with this before."
- When you confront the stressful situation: "It's ok to make mistakes." "I can do this. I'm doing it now." "I can only do my best." "If I get tense, I'll take a breather and relax."
- When you feel tension and need to be reminded to relax or cope: "I've survived this and worse before." "Do something and the fear will diminish." "There's an end to it." "Relax now!"
- When you've completed an anxiety-provoking activity and you want to acknowledge your success: "I did alright." "Next time I won't have to worry so much." "I'm able to relax away my anxiety." "I've got to tell ____ about this." "It's possible not to be scared. All I have to do is stop thinking I'm scared!"
Written by Nicole Byrne, LMFT