Anxiety mindfulness skills can help. The word “unprecedented” is working overtime in 2020. Whether we're coping with a global virus or social injustice, recent events are taking all of us through previously unexplored emotional spaces. It is normal — to experience a fair amount of anxiety under such disturbing circumstances. You may be overwhelmed at times. You may struggle to process and respond appropriately. There is no reason to be ashamed. Feeling anxiety in 2020 does not reflect a personality flaw on your part.
Accepting this reality is a major first step in managing anxiety. Developing anxiety mindfulness skills is the ideal follow-up step. In order to process what you are feeling, you need to better understand how you observe your thoughts, emotions, senses, or actions. Think of this as tapping into your "observing self."
What are Anxiety Mindfulness Skills?
A goal of anxiety mindfulness skills is something called metacognition. Simply speaking, it is about putting some space between yourself and the thoughts that bring you to a negative place. When you detach from your "thinking self," you can create the opportunity to re-connect with your observing self.
Your thoughts are thereby stripped of their power. You come to recognize that you have a choice in how you feel and how you react. Mindfulness guides us in this essential effort. It gives us clarity about the present moment and offers freedom from the past and future. Some of the many other benefits of mindfulness are:
Better regulation of our emotional responses
Awareness of the mind-body connection
Reduced perfectionism
Less judgment in our perspectives
Our “unprecedented” times call for new responses. We are all in need of fresh, effective coping mechanisms. Maintaining an open and curious mind about your options is a healthy path toward healing.
3 Ways to Find Your Observing Self By Using Anxiety Mindfulness Skills
1. Take Time to Breathe
To tune in more deeply to your awareness, you need some time and space to breathe. You can clear this space by taking regular breaks from all news feeds, timelines, headlines, and notifications. These artificial interruptions increase anxiety while hampering your ability to stay present. They create unwanted thoughts and can make you distrust your own self-awareness. With your mental space cleared and quieted, pay close attention to your breath. Notice the pace and depth of your breathing. The fact that you are aware that you are noticing your breath is tapping into your observing self.
2. Recast Toxic Thoughts
You can notice yourself thinking. Basically, your thoughts exist, you notice them, your observing self is aware that you are noticing them. Finding your observing self thus allows for some helpful mental distance and perspective. As a result, you don’t have to accept every anxious thought as truth.
You may have a thought like, “I am not being a good ally to my friends who are oppressed.” Via your observing self, it is within your power to notice and reframe it as: “At this moment, I am having a thought that I am not a good ally — especially in this time of strife.” So you notice the thought and observe that you are noticing the thought ( almost as a third person), rather than succumb to it.
Best of all, your observing self can guide you to more values-based action. Your anxiety has less opportunity to rule the day. The people who need your support amid turmoil like pandemics, social protests, or personal struggles can then benefit from your mindful perspective too.
3. Get a Mental Train Schedule
Mediation is a common path toward mindfulness. A form of metacognition, meditation practice involves you "waving goodbye" to intrusive thoughts. Imagine yourself buying a train ticket for unwanted thoughts and ruminations. Then imagine putting them on a departing train. Now, picture yourself casually watching that train pull out of the station. As it disappears into the horizon, you let them go. This way of utilizing your observing self is a calming way to rid yourself of disturbing thoughts. Without anger or avoidance, you can allow yourself to observe these thoughts as unwelcome guests. You then detach from them as you bid them farewell. With no further judgment, you allow yourself to feel the release of their departure.
Anxiety Mindfulness Skills Sometimes Require Guidance
Like any technique, anxiety mindfulness skills can be taught. Like any technique, they are learned more quickly and effectively with the presence of a skilled guide. The ideal support for this experience is a qualified, compassionate counselor. If you would like support and are looking for a psychotherapist, please contact us for a free consultation to learn about how we can be of service.
To find out more about our services in Boulder, CO click here: Anxiety Treatment. Serving Boulder, Longmont, Denver.
For your other needs, you can count on April Lyons Psychotherapy Group, to help you heal and grow through EMDR therapy, somatic therapy, trauma therapy, and PTSD treatment – because we believe in your strength and potential for recovery.
