Your boss’s concern over your recent absence began out as a little irritation, but before long, it was playing over and over, triggering your insecurities. “The negative internal chatterbox” is a well-known sign of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is characterized by excessive worry. According to psychologist and coach Ivana Franekova, it is quite taxing.
She advises using a CBT approach where you postpone the idea rather than attempting to dismiss or reject it. You may exert greater control over your worrying by designating a set time each day. Save distracting thoughts for later by recording them short on paper or in a voice memo. When will your “worry period” start? ‘Sit away from your workstation or bedroom, in a place you don’t frequently visit. Many times, fears subside or go on their own, but if not, give yourself the designated time – up to 20 minutes – to examine your concerns. Write down the idea, determine whether it is true, then consider whether you can come up with a solution. It requires persistence and a consistent concern time each day, but the practice is immensely liberating.
Take a chill swill. Even though it may be the last thing you want to do when anxiety strikes, Dr. Mort believes it’s one of the quickest methods to ground yourself. The mammalian dive response is triggered by the abrupt temperature change and the contact of your nose with water. This prehistoric response serves as a contrarian survival mechanism to fight-flight. When activated, your heart rate decreases by 10–25%, causing a profoundly soothing change, and blood is returned from the limbs to the heart, reducing muscular tension and shakiness. It effectively puts an end to a panic episode. Maintaining the water’s temperature above 10oC, add ice to a basin of water. Breathe in while holding your face underwater for 20 to 60 seconds. If necessary, repeat.
Go for an ‘awe walk’. We all understand the positive effects of exercise and nature on our moods, but a recent research suggests we take it a step further by focusing on four things we typically ignore, such the starlings soaring above us or the tall buildings in the distance. The latter group imagined seeing relatives, whereas the awe group heard the crunch of leaves underfoot. Additionally, they had more optimistic feelings throughout the course of the eight-week trial, which suggests that amazement becomes better with repetition. According to studies, “turning our focus and energy outward instead of inside can lead to considerable gains in wellbeing.”
