Hi,
It's Rachel.
Thank you so much for following your intuition and listening to this.
I'm going to speak briefly today about anxiety and a couple of ways that can really change the game so that anxiety in your life will diminish greatly,
If not all the way.
So anxiety is a common feeling among most humans and there are many valid reasons for this.
You are not alone in feeling anxious.
We all feel anxious at different times,
Especially when things are uncertain.
But it's empowering to know that ultimately we can choose a different,
More uplifting state by shifting our focus.
So today I'm going to give you two questions and these questions,
Moving forward for you,
Will change everything for the better.
But before I give you these two questions,
I'm going to ask you to do a very short journaling exercise,
Super short.
So feel free to pause this recording to get a notebook and a pen.
So I'm going to ask this question and all you have to do is jot the answer down.
Okay?
The question is,
When was the last time I felt a great sense of discomfort or anxiety with something in my life?
Maybe it was a work project,
A personal health and fitness goal,
An artistic goal,
A conversation,
A relationship.
Just write down whatever comes to your mind first.
And again,
You can pause the recording as you do that.
Okay.
So once you have the scenario written down,
I'd like you to take a moment to just close your eyes,
Sit up a little taller and feel your body.
Just take two deep breaths.
The first breath we'll take in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Second time in through the nose.
And this time close the mouth and breathe out through the nose.
It's amazing what two deep breaths can do.
So once you're dropped in,
Ask yourself,
In feeling the discontent or anxiety surrounding the situation you wrote down,
Was there any part of myself that was judging myself in any way?
Did I think I should have done it better or been better?
Or did I judge others and think that they should have been better or done something in a different way?
One of the reasons we are anxious is because we're judging.
And a key component of reducing anxiety is beginning to notice our judgments and our inner critic.
Once we notice these judgments,
We are on our way to letting go of anxiety.
So how do we evaporate anxiety?
First,
Stop abandoning yourself.
And here's what I mean by that.
Start looking at your habits and see if they are serving you.
For instance,
If you have a hard time going to sleep,
Are you practicing good sleep hygiene?
Instead of watching TV or getting on social media before bedtime,
Can you start new habits that are more self-loving?
Can you read a book before bed or do a crossword puzzle or knit or listen to a guided meditation?
I actually just recorded a meditation here called Sleep Well,
Journey into Blissful Rest,
If that serves you.
Or another example,
If you feel anxious in the morning but are still drinking caffeinated coffee,
Do you love yourself enough to find another beverage?
Can you drink decaf?
Can you drink herbal tea?
Can you change your behavior to reflect love and respect for yourself?
And finally,
The questions I promised you.
As you embark on your life moving forward in relation to a situation that brings you anxiety,
I'd love you to ask these two questions.
Number one,
Can I be curious?
Number two,
Can I be courageous?
Can I be curious?
Can I be curious instead of afraid?
By just asking this question before we go on a date or do a job presentation or move or whatever,
It changes everything.
It infuses us with enthusiasm and humility instead of fear,
Which often comes from thinking that we have to be perfect or win approval.
It's a huge game changer.
It changes everything.
Then courage.
Can I be courageous?
Can I be courageous instead of afraid?
If we approach any aspect of our lives,
Any goal or conversation with this question,
We enter a much more empowering place.
Tell yourself,
Okay,
This could succeed or this could fail and I'm all right with that.
Even just say that out loud.
It feels so freeing,
Right?
It frees your body and your mind.
And then we go with what is rather than what we think should be.
By asking these two questions,
We love ourselves at a profound level.
See how it works.
Have fun and let me know how it goes in the comments.
Can I be curious?
Can I be courageous?
