Three Anxiety and Stress Relief Techniques

The search for anxiety and stress relief continues.
People feel so much distress, uneasiness, and foreboding about their lives.
It may show up in different parts of people's lives. Sometimes it may be about the economy, the political situation, the weather, our health, families, neighbors, jobs, school work or friends. Sometimes it may just be a general feeling of uneasiness. But it is usually present in some recurring form. And it is stressful. So what can we do about it?

Natural solutions for anxiety and stress relief do work.
The first thing to learn is a quick, simple, powerful way to deal with stress and anxiety.

This brings us to solution number one - "the quick fix".

Anxiety and Stress Relief Technique #1

Get a watch or clock and commit to breathing slowly, gently and deeply for at least 10 minutes. I sometimes continue the exercise for up to 30 minutes for deeper effects.

While you breathe deeply, pay attention to your breath. Yes it is boring, but better to think of it as peaceful. If "upsetting" thoughts come to you, gently put your attention back on your breath. Breathing in to a slow count of 9 and then out to a slow count of 9 often helps people stay focused on this exercise and has an additional calming effect.

This may seem too simple and easy. Please do not underestimate the power of slow deep gentle breathing. It does work for natural anxiety and stress relief.

If you can do this deep breathing exercise in a beautiful natural environment it is even more effective.
There is something very soothing, reassuring and balancing about being out in nature. But if you are in the office, or even in traffic, it will still work.

Now, let's go deeper and explore...

How to Dissolve the Roots of Our Anxieties

Our anxieties are usually rooted in our false beliefs.

If we look at anxiety more deeply, we find an apprehension about the future. We either fear that we will fail to gain something that we want or we fear we will lose something that we have and think we need.

In both of these situations we feel anxiety because we think we need something out side of our selves to be happy. Perhaps we think we need a new job, or a new car, or a new spouse and then we will be happy. Maybe we think we could be happy if only we had more money, or our kids would behave or our neighbor would leave us alone.

In each of these examples we are basing our happiness on something outside of ourselves which we can not control.

Since we think we need it to be happy and we can not control the situation we feel anxious and worried about it.

We may have absorbed this idea from our parents, teachers, or friends. It is a pervasive in idea in the society we live in. Fortunately, although this idea is very widespread, it is not true. Do this exercise as an experiment and prove it for yourself.

Anxiety and Stress Relief Technique #2

Part 1
Think about something which upsets you.
Now notice how you feel, physically or emotionally.
Write it down.

Part 2
Next, take five or ten minutes and think about the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you.
Write it down.
Now, notice how you feel physically or emotionally.
Write it down.

Was there a difference between how you felt in part one and how you felt in part two?

For most people the answer will be clearly yes!

But what happened or changed between doing part 1 and doing part 2?
After part two they feel happy, or loved, or comforted, or some other pleasant emotion.
But the only difference between part one in part two was our internal thinking.
Nothing significant in the world outside of ourselves changed between part one and part two of the exercise. The difference was in our mind.

From this we discover that our happiness does not really depend on the external circumstances of our life.

Our happiness does not really depend upon other people or situations.

Of course it is more comfortable when we feel healthy, and we like our job and we get along well with our family members. It is more comfortable, but our happiness does not depend upon it.

Realizing this is not an invitation to be passive. It is just an invitation to realize that we are not so much at the mercy of the world we live it, or the people around us. It is a way to find that the key to anxiety and stress relief is already within us. We can be happy within ourselves, no matter what.


So we can see that...

Our False Beliefs Create Fear & Anxiety

Here is another example:

Sometimes people think they need their fear, anxiety and stress in order to motivate themselves or function in their lives. This is another idea which is pervasive but not really true.

Fear and anxiety may currently be what motivate you to get up in the morning and go to work. But it is possible for that to change. It is possible to allow love, kindness, concern for your fellow human beings, and compassion to move you to action instead.

The truth is that the fears and anxieties do not help us. They limit us. They waste time and energy. When we understand this really clearly, it becomes easier to let them go.

Sometimes our fears and anxieties have been with us so long so long we think they are an important part of ourselves. We may have difficulty even imagining what life would be like without anxiety. If that is the case, you might wish to do this next exercise.

Anxiety and Stress Relief Technique #3

Imagine yourself without any fears or anxieties.
Imagine that life exactly and perfectly what you want it to be.
Now notice your emotional and physical feelings and write them down.
Did you feel better, even for a few moments?
Yet you were still you.

So the essence of you is not fear or anxiety.

And although nothing in the outside world changed, for a few moments you felt better within. This shows it is possible to live without your anxieties, you do not need them to be you or to be happy or to be responsible. You do not need them at all.

Usually when we are more stressed our anxieties are greater.
So we encourage you to browse through this website and experiment with the natural stress relief tips and techniques you will find. They can make a big difference.

For an overview of many additional natural anxiety and stress relief tips visit our home page.

If your anxiety is chronic, or very strong, you may wish to consider the benefits of online counseling. The internet makes it possible for many people to access professional assistance for anxiety and stress relief, more easily and economically than ever before.

Or, read more about types of fears and how to overcome them.

Please realize that sometimes our anxieties can be caused by medical conditions. If your anxiety is persistent it is wise to consult with a medical professional.