Raise your hand if you grew up hearing, “Stop being anxious!”
I’m guessing a fair amount of you. And thanks for being honest, because next to, “Your life would be sooooo much better if you’d just quit worrying,” and “No, for the last time, you can’t wear black to church,” I don’t know what I grew up tuning out.
At one point I do recall thinking, “oh, wow, thank you, because I hadn’t thought of just stopping my anxious thoughts. That makes so much sense—why didn’t I think of that?
Anxious people generally loathe platitudes, and for good reason. And while there’s no 10-step plan to finding inner peace, there are habits you can avoid that will go a long way toward calming an anxious mind. Trust me on this one.
Click the audio recording below for 9 things to not do when you’re feeling stressed out, panicky, and overwhelmed.
The Not To-Do List for Anxious People (mp3)
And if you’re at work and you forgot your earbuds again, here’s a cheat sheet 😉 :
Don’t over-explain yourself, have boundaries around your time, know that ‘no’ means no, accept and embrace your mistakes for they will teach you what to improve upon, work faster, take brain breaks, wp themes write things down, practice mindfulness so you don’t get caught up in fantasy land, set aside worry time, reduce time spent with difficult people, and recognize all the times you got it right!
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“Calming Your Anxious Mind” is a course in mindfulness, relaxation and finding peace in the chaos. Click here for more information.
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Until next week…
Yours in what not to do when anxious,
—Linda Esposito
