If your brain won’t stop overthinking your anxiety, try this instead.
Quick summary
Anxiety isn’t always something you can think your way out of.
When your system is highly activated, start by working with the body first.
The body can send signals back to the brain and nervous system.
The physiological sigh is a simple way to experiment with this.
When coping with anxiety in my twenties, a body-first approach has been the BIGGEST game-changer for me.
If you are someone who finds herself endlessly trying to
think,
plan
or journal
your way out of anxious thoughts, then you might have it backwards.
Hear me out.
I know the urge SO well.
The journals in my early twenties are filled with analysing situations I was worrying over that day.
But when your system is already in a state of high activation,
trying to reason your way out of it can be almost IMPOSSIBLE.
Although I’ve been working with the body for years, the connection between the body and reducing the experience of anxiety was made for me through a YouTube video a couple of years ago.
That day I learned: While the brain can talk to the body, the body can talk back.
Instead of asking:
“How do I make this feeling stop?”
Start with:
“Can I give my body a signal first that I’m safe?”
Weekly practice👇
If anxiety is something you’re struggling with, here is a powerful exercise to start with: Physiological sigh.
You can practice the physiological sigh here with me or try it out yourself.
Practice with me (1min) - free
Inhale through your nose.
Take a second, smaller inhale through your nose to fully expand the lungs.
Long, slow exhale through your mouth.
Repeat 3-5 times.
The goal isn’t to force yourself to feel calm.
It’s to give your system a different signal to work with.
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