I decided to post this week’s newsletter from my email list on the website, as I know anxiety and panic are something that a lot of people struggle with. Hope you find it helpful!
Last week, panic attacks were the theme with three different people in a span of 24 hours! This took me back to my own experience with panic and reminded me of my vow to never go there again! I wanted to share what I learned from the experience with the hopes of helping others avoid the experience all together, as it was one of the most horrible things I ever went through.
The bottom line to stay out of a panic attack, is to keep your inner batteries charged up and not depleted. When we are in a constant state of anxiety and stress, it wears down the reserves and our adrenal glands become fatigued. This means our ability to cope with additional stressors is greatly diminished. My own panic attack felt like I was having a heart attack or something worse. I felt like I was dying and I was rushed to the emergency room. Once it subsided, I then had years of constant anxiety that was fueled partly by my fear of having it happen again! Below are some simple steps you can take to recharge your batteries (if they are already depleted) or to keep them charged up so you can avoid anxiety and panic.
Steps to Stay OUT of Adrenal Fatigue and Panic
1. Take a 30 minute walk everyday outside (preferably alone if you can). This saved my life! Exercise and breathing are the ways to clear the excess cortisol and other stress hormones from your system. When we are walking we are moving and breathing more deeply. Plus, we are in nature which helps to settle and calm the nervous system. I still do this every day now!
2. Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine – Having tools to use when you get into an anxious state is so important! I like the Energy Medicine Toolkit – I can flip a card and just do what it says if I’m anxious. You can also use the techniques to sedate the triple warmer and strengthen the spleen meridians which is essential to getting out of flight or flight. You can find those on You Tube for free. Learn a few easy techniques to calm the triple warmer so you have them on hand whenever you need them.
3. Rub your feet – Even if you have no training with reflexology, this is still a very powerful tool to use. Simply start rubbing your feet, toes, and ankles. As you find sore spots, spend more time there until they feel better. Let your intuition guide you and you will soon feel much more settled. You can access the entire system from the feet energetically – plus rubbing the feet reminds us to get back in our bodies which is much-needed when we are in a state of anxiety or fear.
4. Pay attention! Don’t ignore feelings of stress or overwhelm. When that starts, it is time to slow down, take the physical steps mentioned above to get out of fear and then get some insight into what is going on inside of you. I have found that anxiety usually stems from a truth that I am afraid to face or that I’m attempting to push myself into doing something that is not in resonance. Figuring out what is going on (after you have taken the steps to settle yourself) will help resolve the deeper message the fear is trying to bring.
5. Resist the urge to “think” to find a solution – When something goes wrong, we are quick to jump to thinking as a means of finding the answer. This is the worst thing you can do when you are struggling with anxiety. The sympathetic nervous system is activated when we are thinking. You want the parasympathetic system to kick in that is all about being. That is why having tools on hand you can use immediately without having to “think about” what to do is so important. Often, anxiety hits in the middle of the night, so having something you can do instantly to feel better is crucial.
Finally, just remember that your best friends when you are feeling anxious are movement and breathing! As tempting as it is to climb into bed and hide out, move instead! Even doing something like washing the floor can help, as it will clear out the stress hormones!
Opportunities to Connect
3/24 Saturday 1-5PM Spring Open House – This event is full – I’m excited to see those of you who are coming! I will be sending out an email soon with details.
3/31 Saturday 10 AM – 12 PM (Hinckley Metroparks) ReWilding Hike- A huge challenge we are facing as a collective is our disconnect from nature and our own physical systems. We have moved so much into our heads that our systems are constantly in a state of stress. Being at home in the natural world and in our physical bodies can change that pattern. This event will share some information about the concept of “ReWilding,” teach you some simple techniques to help you be more connected to the natural world, and give you a chance to get outside and get some exercise too. We will be talking for about an hour inside and then walking for an hour around Hinckley Lake. Love Exchange: $15/Members or $30/Non-Members. Reply to this email (for email subscribers) or use the contact form at the bottom to register.
Oracle Card Reading for the Week
From The Fool’s Wisdom Oracle Cards by Sonia Choquette
The Play Fool – “Have fun and be playful.”
Nancy’s Reflections: This is so perfect with the topic of anxiety and panic! Worrying and being in our head is what causes us to land in anxiety and panic, so playing is the perfect antidote! When we play and laugh, our nervous systems settle. We are able to move out of fear and into love, which then brings us more love to enjoy! A few tips to help you find that playful energy (as I know it can be tough when we feel weighed down by worries):
1. “I am laughing!” – I find that when I can’t get myself out of a heavier state of mind, if I start repeating this affirmation, my energy lightens and shifts. So even if you can’t get yourself to laugh out loud, try saying this statement over and over and it will make it easier to laugh for real.
2. Listen to Kid’s Music – I shared in a group recently that I’d been doing a lot of the hokey pokey lately! Singing simple childhood songs – especially ones that make you move – is a great way to get out of heavy adult energy and into fun. If you look on Pandora or You Tube or other music collections, you can easily find recordings of childhood songs. Have some on hand this week to pull out when you need a little lightening up!
3. Dance – Dancing is great exercise and it is also tremendous for freeing up our resistance. Don’t worry about looking good or having good moves! Just move your body in whatever way feels good and shake off the stress! I loved the movie “Sing” and one of the songs on that was “Shake it Off.” That is a great one to dance around too, especially if you have something you want to shake off!
4. Get outside and wander – When I was a kid, I spent a lot of hours in the vacant lot next door looking for fossils or climbing trees. Find time to wander outside a bit, even if it is just in your backyard. There is so much going on out there that we miss because we are too in our heads to notice. Find your childhood curiosity again and reawaken your playful spirit!
Coaching Tool for the Week
Here is a quick video to explain how to do foot reflexology on yourself!
Wishing you all a playful, anxiety-free week!
With much love,
Nancy
Spirit Earth Coaching 