CALM ANXIETY: 3 WAYS TO INNER PEACE for Busy Professionals
What does calming anxiety have to do with illness and immunity?
Everything.
As a busy professional chronic stress & ANXIETY can undermine your body and immune system and create or worsen many disease processes.
High Expectations & Anxiety Go Hand In Hand
I have been there struggling with the high expectations I placed on myself and a mountain of anxiety. I wanted to excel in my nursing career, be a good parent, care for my parents when they needed help, and spend time with loved ones.
Does this resonate with you?
What I realized was that I needed to have a plan to calm my stress and care for myself, so I could enjoy being in the present with each world.
I asked myself, why shouldn’t I take the time to learn how to calm my stress?
After all, as a nurse I should know better, right?
As a health professional and business owner, I had to let go of the high expectations I placed on myself and the need to do it all.
These high expectations created negative feelings, which I was projecting onto my family and peers. I was exhausted, frustrated and physically ill.
Maybe you have already experienced a physical health problem trying to navigate your professional and personal life. When you are a busy professional trying to juggle these two worlds it is really difficult to turn off one and fall into another.
Anxiety Comes from Long-Term Stress
Anxiety is caused by long-term stress which many of us experience daily with work deadlines, home responsibilities, and illness. Anxiety and stress keep you in a state of dis-ease you are not at peace living day-in and day-out with elevated stress hormones.
Many of the clients I serve have chronic health issues which create anxiety then they add responsibilities of work and family to their plate which is a recipe for disaster.
Here are 3 tips you can do now to calm your anxiety and the cycle of stress to reclaim inner peace.
3 Tips to Calm Your Anxiety
#1: Check in with yourself: Check out of Anxiety
Beauty Arises in the Stillness of Your Presence
Eckhart Tolle
When was the last time you took time to ask yourself, how am I doing?
As a Registered Nurse with a stressful job and also juggling a family, I knew when I was starting my day there would be many hats that I would be wearing.
What I realized was that I needed to take a few minutes before starting my day just to check in with myself and really connect with how I am feeling.
Constant distractions and multitasking, UGH!
I was trying to juggle as if carrying a stack of plates waiting for them to come crashing down.
It caused me to struggle harder in my profession and personal life, so I learned to put the brakes on BEFORE starting my day.
Start your day off on the right foot by getting up in the morning and finding a quiet place to take 15 minutes to check in with yourself. These moments enable you to connect with your intuition, get answers and seek relief.
#2: Mindful Breathing
According to Dr. Andrew Weil:
“Practicing a regular, mindful breathing exercise can be
calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems
ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”
Andrew Weil, M.D.
This breathing exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it, but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently.
Many of my busy clients are dealing with serious medical issues along with trying to balance life and they are able to decrease their anxiety with mindful breathing. This exercise sends a signal to the neurotransmitters in the brain and therefore calms the nervous system. The best part is you can do it anywhere anytime and you will be amazed at the results. When I feel stress and anxiety coming on I do this practice which gives my mind a total reset.
Exhale completely through your mouth making a swooshing sound. Close your mouth and inhale through your nose to a mental count of 4 then hold for a count of 7 and exhale through your mouth to a count of 8. Repeat 4 times and do it twice a day.
#3: Setting Limits
According to the Mayo Clinic: Work-Life Balance: Tips to reclaim control
“You can’t manufacture time. If you don’t set limits, then work or other obligations can leave you with no time for the activities and relationships you enjoy.” Consider this one idea:
Learn to say no. Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child’s teacher asking you to organize a class party, remember that it’s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit accepting tasks out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll have more time for activities that are meaningful to you.
Calming your anxiety will not only create inner peace but outer peace for you to navigate through the many hats you are wearing every day.
Let’s work together to develop your individualized plan to inner peace.
Blessings, Bonnie
