Anxiety is one of the hardest conditions to treat or understand. However, approaching anxiety with mindfulness is simple and quite effective. This is because mindfulness means facing the issue with the idea of being aware of your surroundings only at the present time.

Being here, now, is key to staying grounded in your thoughts. Now, mind you, mindfulness is not a magic pill. You do have to work hard to retain this way of thinking. You might say it’s a tool for mental health.

Techniques using mindfulness

There are a few ways mindfulness works for anxiety and other mental health issues. Since mindfulness confronts negative thought patterns, you can gradually learn to become a happier version of yourself with these techniques.

It’s time to understand the various ways mindfulness can do wonders for anxiety and benefit your life.

1. Acknowledgment

One of the things that hold us back when we deal with anxiety is not acknowledging the condition. Although we know we’re experiencing this stressful sensation, and we know we feel fear, we must understand why we feel this way. When we realize that anxiety is present, it helps us make better judgments about certain situations.

Learning to acknowledge what we’re feeling starts with taking a break away from other people or chaotic environments. It’s important that we see the truth of what’s going on before we blame others or cause problems. You see, anxiety can create illusions, and we often act on these things.

Acknowledgment helps us learn how to tell the difference between intuition and fear. These two are similar feelings. Oh, and here’s a way to tell the difference: If you suddenly feel frightened or irrational for no reason, then it’s probably anxiety.

2. Be present

One of the most astounding ways to use mindfulness for anxiety is through being present. Yes, we are all present in the body, sometime, somewhere, but what about our minds? Most of the time, our minds are wandering off trying to figure out some riddle in life. This is especially true with those who suffer from anxiety disorders. So, here’s what you can do.

First, you must look directly in front of you and tell yourself what you see. Then you must listen. Listen to all the sounds around you at the present time. To yourself, name the sounds, further grounding you in the present moment.

Now, feel the air around you and tell yourself how it feels on your skin. Finally, feel your feet in your shoes and understand that you are firmly grounded in this place and at this time. Being present helps you drop the negative thoughts a moment and puts your logical mind back in charge.

3. Go for a walk

While this might not sound like a solution, it does offer time to decompress. When anxiety is harsh, as it can be without warning, you can just walk away from everything. Now, I don’t mean abandon those you love or the home you adore, oh no. I mean go for a walk!

Getting outside and taking a walk, at least 15 or 20 minutes a day, will greatly improve your ability to tackle anxiety. Walking in nature gets you away from your phone, television and any other electronic devices that might hold you captive.

Walking helps you recharge and gives you a chance to look at things from a different perspective so you can approach situations with tact, free of the influence of your anxious feelings.



4. Keep a journal

Writing has been such great therapy for me, and to be honest, this is why I started writing in the first place. As a child, I wrote poetry in an attempt to transfer my negative feelings onto paper and away from my mind. As I grew older, I realized that I loved to write, thus started writing more than creative things.

If you suffer from severe anxiety, keeping a journal is one way to help you alleviate those rushing, packed thoughts. You can take these thoughts, have a good look at them, and then write them down.

After they are written, you can see that they aren’t as monstrous as you once thought. Or, at least you can feel better with a portion of them removed. Anxiety-relieving mindfulness techniques include exercises such as this for processing negative energies.

5. Meditation apps

According to mental health professionals, a little anxiety is normal. It’s just when anxiety gets out of hand that you need help. This is where meditation works wonders. While meditation does prove beneficial in this area, some people do not understand how to utilize the technique.

The good news is that there are many guided meditation apps for your smart devices. These apps can help you understand how meditation works and provide short exercises to get you in the right headspace. Not only is meditation good for your anxiety, but it’s been proven effective for other health issues as well.

6. Just breath

Most people don’t pay attention to their breathing. After all, we breathe constantly. The thing is, those with anxiety can benefit by paying attention to their breathing. Taking deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety, and even reduce rapid heart rate.

Mindful breathing techniques bring you back to the here and now. All you do is focus on fully inhaling, bringing your belly button as close to your spine as possible, and then releasing fully, pushing your belly outward. Or, you can breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth until your breathing is regulated again. It’s always worth a try.

Simple solutions for anxiety

Mindfulness for anxiety works much better than putting on a fake smile or pretending as if you don’t care. Yes, anxiety disorders can be horrific, taking away so much pleasure from your life, but dealing with this problem will help you learn to keep control and slowly heal from past traumas and heartache.

I hope these techniques help you get your anxiety under control. I wish you well.

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