Jesus said that in the world we would have trouble. And I'm sure that you can agree that this world is full of challenges and trials. Many of those can come from within from the neurological habits we develop from childhood. Of course, there can be external problems that can create stress like the big ones: War, floods, and earthquakes etc. But take comfort Jesus has overcome the world.
The encouraging truth is that God will never leave us or forsake us. He is ALWAYS with us.
Sometimes we can get stuck in our heads and our thinking. Read on to find ways to overcome anxiety.
1 When in an anxious state, firstly stop and breathe. Do you know how to breathe correctly? Often anxious breathing is shallow breathing in your chest and you can see this; are your shoulders rising when you breathe. A simple way to breathe correctly is to place your hand on your stomach and breathe into there. So breathe slowly in for 6 and out for 6. And do this 10 times. This will balance your nervous system.
Slowing down your breathing while suffering from anxiety also slows down your thinking. Anxious thinking is rapid. Slow……It…….Down. A method to achieve this is the 3,2,1 method. You say out loud or in your head 3 things you see, 3 things you hear and 3 things you feel, then 2 then 1. And if struggling in the middle of the night, you can do this in your imagination. It works and can help you get back to sleep.
2 Have you eaten a nutritious meal? Eat something that has balance, protein, healthy fat vegetables or fruit, and some complex carbohydrates. If you are not sure about good nutrition, get some advice at another time to find ways to nourish yourself well. E.g. Dr Libby on wholefoods. Of course, before eating, calm down first through breathing and avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, at this time.
3 In the moment that you are anxious can you move? It is not possible to be anxious and to dance at the same time. Could you put on a worship song and dance before the Lord? If that is not convenient, could you go for a short walk? The act of getting your heart rate up in exercise will then help your brain to believe the previously racing heart during the anxiety is normal. Add a right thought to counter the anxious one and it will bring you back into balance.
4 Another way to bring you back into a state of calm in the moment is “Havening” The havening technique was developed by neuroscientist Dr. Ronald Ruben. A simple way is to place your hand on your shoulders and stroke down to your elbows slowly, or run your hands down your face, or rub your hands together back and forth. These movements bring back a sense of calmness to the body and mind.
5 Long term, get some help to assess your beliefs and your habitual thoughts. We all have beliefs that are unhelpful for a healthy happy life. There may be lots of evidence for them but the big question is: Are they useful to us to move forward in life? We can change our beliefs in an instant. Remember how we once believed in Santa or the tooth fairy? Choose to exchange some negative beliefs for positive ones. Remember Jesus said He had come that we would have an abundant life, and live life to the full. John 10:10.
6 Above all pray! Hand things over to God. God has told us to cast all our cares on Him. Philippians 4:6 Don’t be pulled in different directions or be worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell Him every detail of your life then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. TPT
7 And of course this helps us to find things to be grateful for. Think about those things, get in the moment, and be thankful in the right now. I personally have so much to be thankful for but sometimes I can forget and end up dwelling on a potentially negative future or things from the past.
Of course, there is a time for grief, and for the difficult times. We may need to examine them and process them. Put them in context. After all, if we bury something that is not dead, it will likely come back to bite us. Often, an unresolved issue will manifest as a negative health outcome. And sometimes we will need professional help for this. Email me if you would like some recommendations.
I hope you have found these musings helpful and I pray you will have a blessed day ahead.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a Spirit of fear but one of power, love and a sound mind.
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