Voor Nederlands, klik hier.
If people expect a lot from me, I can get anxious when I already have much to do. Also, I can get anxious when I have a big task.
This blog is your first aid for anxiety and gives you five ways to experience more calmness in everything you must do.
Make a to-do list
It is mostly due to everything you must do if you’re anxious. At this point, I know that today I have the following things to do:
- Follow up on a client
- Write a blog
- translate it
- Publish it on WordPress
- Write a newsletter (the lift)
- Prepare social media postings
- Bring my son to The Hague
- Do a workout ( I am prepping for another race)
- Go shopping (salad, cat litter, cat food, fruit, tea)
- Read 20 pages.
This is quite a list, but by writing it down, I have more overview, which calms me down.
Take one step at a time…
The reason for this article is my last visit to a dear friend. He is very sick, and it is clear that the end is near. His wife asked me to come by. The goodbye was very uplifting, and I am grateful that I did not have any sad emotions. At one point, he said: “ Take one step at a time.” He continued: “Imagine that if you are walking barefoot on the beach. It will take a lot of energy to run in the soft sand. You’ll get further if you take one step at a time.” He knows that I tend to run from one goal and opportunity to another, and it can make me anxious.
With my to-do list, I will start writing this blog, then bring my son to The Hague and work from there—one step at a time.
…towards the big goal
I have very big goals, like building a new website for my workshops (under construction). It is a big thing, and I have been putting it off for half a year now. I am making all kinds of excuses not to start building. Do you recognize this as well? Well, the other week, I just started. First, I registered a new URL, and every day, I spent about 30 minutes adding content and building the website.
If the task is too big, you might freeze and do nothing, like me. Start by doing a little bit daily; the big goal will not be so scary anymore since you already see results.
Ask for help
I am not very good at making websites. Also, I want to get better at writing articles. That’s why I have called for help in both areas. It helps me to get less anxious since I now have help on how to do things, but most of all, my coaches cheer me on while I am doing the work.
“Can you help me?” are magic words. Everybody wants to help you. You just have to ask. Most of the time, we are too proud to ask for help.
-Reading tip: How to help others better by asking 3 simple questions
Press the pause button
This is actually step one! When you feel anxious, stop with what you are doing. Breathe like the Navy SEALs to get your nervous system under control; It is called box breathing:
1) Breathe in through your nose and fill your lungs and abdomen with air for four seconds
2) Hold your breath for four seconds
3) Breathe out through your mouth for four seconds
4) Hold your breath for another four seconds
This is called box breathing because when you do it, you imagine a box with four sides. Each step of the technique represents a side of the box.
Doing this for two minutes will make you calmer and more focused. You may sing a Mantra (like this one) or follow a guided meditation like Meditation Moments (Dutch) or Headspace. It will help you get rid of anxiousness and have more clarity.
If you do not have the opportunity to do this breathing exercise because you are in a meeting or if you are driving, breathe deeply anyway. While breathing, become aware of your body, hands, feet on the ground, and the things around you. Notice the furniture, the temperature of the room, the buildings, and the other cars. It is a step towards mindfulness and helps you come into the here and now. The reasons for being anxious lie in the past and in the future. The things you have not done yet, what you have done wrong, and all the things you still have to do. The key is to come into the world of being, the present.
Reconnect your WHY
A golden key to getting unstuck when you are overwhelmed with things to do is reconnecting with your WHY. When I say my WHY aloud or to myself, I feel the moments when I was at my best. There is never any stress or anxiousness connected to those moments—just joy, energy, and positivity. This gives me the momentum to move forward.
-Reading tip: Examples of WHY statements
Your WHY is your unique contribution and its effect on the world. Everybody and every organization has their own WHY statement. It is positive and unlimited, and it has always been with you. Do you want to discover your WHY or the one of your organization? Contact us for a free intake!
What do you do when you are anxious? Is there another golden key I should know about getting clarity, joy, focus, and calmness in anxious moments? Let me know in the comment box below. I, and other readers of this article, look forward to read from you!
Thank you for reading up to here & sharing this article with your colleagues, friends, or family. And please SHARE this article with your X, Facebook, and LinkedIn networks by pressing the buttons below so they can also benefit from this article about first aid for anxiety. You can copy parts of this blog if you state the source.
Have you seen an error in this article? Let me know! I am grateful!
