THOUGHTS ARE NOT REAL.

If you imagine a green monkey sitting next to you, it can become very vivid in your imagination, but it will never be real.

Real is what you can see, feel, touch, taste etc. It may seem real, but it is not real, and you must give yourself this truthful and honest suggestion because your mind is very suggestible.

 

Anxiety or Worry is the body’s way of helping, from getting ready to FREEZE, FLIGHT OR FIGHT a ‘bear” or some real danger.

But there is no actual danger and the Thought must be CHALLENGED.

Panic attacks & anxiety are being scared about a THOUGHT NOT A REALITY.  We have a choice as how we deal with our thoughts. You only have a habit of thought. You have been given the privilege of complete control over your mind

The fastest way out of it - after telling yourself the truth about your thoughts -  is to CHANGE YOUR PHYSICAL STATE. Do the following 4 steps:

 

1. BREATHE in the square pattern 10 times to switch nervous systems (from Sympathetic fight and flight, to Parasympathetic Rest & Digest). Only when in the parasympathetic nervous system and bodily calm, is the mind then rational and able to assess accurately.

The square breathing pattern is: Imagine a square. Breathe in 2, 3,4, Hold 2,3,4. Breathe out 2, 3,4, Hold 2,3,4. (repeat 9 more times).

 

2. CHALLENGE the thought. Is it Real? Happening right now? What is really going on in your environment right now – look at it, talk to yourself about what IS right now, go from WHAT IF…to WHAT IS. Look at your physical surroundings, people you are actually with, the task you have to do right now, what colour clothes are you wearing. The antidote to anxiety/worry/panic is NOT positive thinking, it is ACCURATE So what is accurate and truthful in this very moment?

 

This next step is also VERY IMPORTANT and the key to real change (professional athletes, people who have to perform yet feel anxious do this)

 

3. Decide what you WANT to feel in advance. Define the feeling that you want to feel. The Emotional place that you want to get to. For example is it excitement? It is calm? Is it bodily calm and mental clarity, is it a fun state or a focused state? And then have a mental action plan about how to get there, the type of self talk your gift to yourself. – practice it, write it down, prepare it and rehearse it – verbally and mentally.

 

4. You must put a daily routine in that honors you, like it is not negotiable. You have to exercise even if it's a light walk, sunlight (Vit D, serotonin producing) and you have to sleep properly every single night - you must to consider this a prescription and that you need this as medicine and must do it to be 11/ 10 committed to yourself.

 

Next..

 

5. To deepen the change, Select another CHANGE OF PHYSICAL STATE (meaning: go take a shower, go outside and get some fresh air, star jumps, mini-tramp rebound, walk, drink a glass of cold water)

 

6. Be your own Coach. Talk to yourself in the third person say, for example "hey Alison you can do blah blah blah". Talk to yourself like you were a coach talking to you, using the words you wrote down or crafted in your mental action plan.

 

7. Notice your feeling state Become very keenly self aware, and when you notice those old feelings of worry, concern, anxiety - use that as a necessity. It becomes necessary then to use that as motivation to shift your state. Because cogitating mentally about your feelings is a mental job. It must be solved at the mental level. It's a practice of self-talk that needs to be changed by practising new self- talk, dialogue, inner conversation.

 

And…

 

Stay away from coffee - it is an adrenal drainer and is way too stimulating for the nervous system creating feelings that match anxiety.

 

Ask yourself: Do you want to keep it? Are you ready to let it go?

Anxiety may have engulfed you, but inside somewhere is the person you are meant to be, are you ready for that person to step out and leave anxiety behind you?

Are you ready to crush anxiety? Is the real you about to step forward.

Do NOT say ‘my’ anxiety, ‘my’ depression – it is THE anxiety/depression. Do not claim it as yours if you want to get rid of it.

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