Why anxiety is our friend and coming home to the heart
Recently, when arising from my slumber I noticed a familiar feeling I hadn’t experienced in quite a while- increased heartbeat, tightness in my chest, a subtle uneasiness and discomfort in my mind and body.
My initial reaction was - “Oh no… not again…” I’ve been plagued with anxiety at different times throughout the course of my life, and after months of not experiencing the slightest glimmer, I thought “Ah yes- at last I am free!” But as I sat there, hand on my chest feeling my heart beating a little quicker than usual, I was reminded of something a dear friend mentioned to me many years ago. One day when I was openly cursing the anxiety that robbed me of sleep and gripped the entirety of my of being for months on end- she held my hand and said, “Repeat after me: ‘Thank you anxiety for keeping me safe. Thank you for noticing something new, foreign, uncomfortable, and activating fight or flight mode in an attempt to make sure I can flee from danger. Thank you for doing your job. But I am ok, I am safe, there is no need for panic + a heightened nervous system right now.’ ”
Anxiety is the body + nervous system doing their thing to protect us. To keep us safe. Like an overprotective friend, sometimes it can be a little quick to jump on board and try and sort things out for us, when really, deep down, we know it is ok. We know at our core what our needs are and what is best for us. But the thing is, that overprotective friend can be reallllllyyyy convincing. And reaaaaaaaalllllyyyy loud. Like, screaming through a megaphone loud. So loud in fact, that we may struggle at times to hear our own internal voice. It is in those moments that his little list of tips and tricks (that honestly, you’ve probably already read a million times over- but I personally always find a reminder useful) may come in handy to reconnect back to a deeper sense of self. So, without further ado,
Some reminders of things that help regulate the nervous system + reconnect to yourself that you *likely* already know but I find incredibly helpful being reminded of regularly:
Moving your body dynamically
Active resting- such as a guided meditation or yoga nidra
Taking a walk barefoot
Drawing or colouring in a picture
A cold shower
A hot bath
Sauna
Ice bath
Eating Grounding whole foods, especially root vegetables such as kumara (sweet potato), beetroot, and carrots.
Breathing deeply (try my guided yogic breath practice here)
Gardening or weeding
A dip in the sea
Cooking a meal mindfully and slowly
Calling a friend/loved one for a chat
Journalling + free writing
YOGA
Michael Singer says “The mind is where the soul goes to hide from the heart.” If you notice yourself residing in the mind and getting caught up in the flurries of internal dialogue, I invite you to take a hand and place it on your heart. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, a deep breath out. And again. Feel your heart beating in your chest, re attune to this space beneath the palm- feel your heartbeat, the radiant warmth that swirls beneath the collarbones, this energetic epicenter that is the center of the spiritual self. Remember that this feeling is passing through you, it is not you. It is simply a dear friend that is doing it’s absolute best to protect you.