One Practical Therapeutic Technique You Can Use At Home

Are you a positive thinker? Or do you tend to be negative? Do you want to learn how to be less pessimistic?

Finding the light at the end of the tunnel can be a challenge in today’s world. And, unfortunately, I am a cup half empty kind of gal. But I do have a few tools up my sleeve that may offer you some ideas to keep you balanced. These are tips I share with clients/patients and sometimes use on myself.

Allow me to explain what happens to use when we are anxious, worried, or uncertain.

We have what is known as a sympathetic nervous system (similar to a gas pedal in a car). When things get us anxious, this system kicks in. Most people refer to this as the “fight or flight” mechanism that prepares us to endure anxiety or run from it. When this happens our bodies go into “overdrive mode.”

When feeling stressed and overwhelmed, you may notice Increased heart rate, nausea, shakiness, nervousness, sleeplessness, overeating, feelings of doom, etc. It’s even worse with depression. You may find no pleasure in activities once enjoyed (anhedonia), you may not have an appetite, you may sleep way too much or not enough, you may cry all the time, and you may have fleeting thoughts of being dead rather than alive. Self-care is important for all of us. But it is even more important for those who are prone to worry, get anxious or hyper-focus on stressful events.

This Wise Mind technique might help you feel less stressed over time

If you feel the video below categorizes a lot of how you react to stress in your life, stay right here as I will be talking about self-compassion, changing the way you talk to yourself, and I will offer you my list of 38 ways to relax.