Stress and Anxiety Technique Series - Being in the Moment Stops Anxiety

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Being aware of being in the moment is a great way to cut down on worry and anxiety. Follow these six steps to be more in tune with the present:

1. Practice savoring the present. Notice sights, sounds, smells and engage all your senses in each moment of the day. This helps you relax.

2. Focus on your task not on your performance. Focusing on the task at hand instead of worrying about how well you are doing keeps you from stressing over what will happen.

3. Notice your breathing. When you focus on your breath you feel more peaceful and centered.

4. Lose track of time by getting into the flow of what you are doing. Focusing on what you are doing and enjoying it while you are relaxes you.

5. Accept people and situations as they are. When you refrain from judging others or stop worrying about situations, you let your mind and body off the hook of fearing it.

6. Work on building your mindfulness every day. Mindfulness keeps anxiety at bay because you are aware of what is happening around you.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you should aim to be in the present moment. This allows joy and happiness to replace anxiety.

More Ways to Reduce Stress

Stress and anxiety play a key role in our health and how much enjoyment we have in our lives. These 5 tips can help you begin reducing stress today.

Light Some Candles

Light scented candles that make you feel good. Find a scent that makes you feel happy or that calms you. Using essential oils is another option. Some scents that are especially calming or soothing include:

• Lavender

• Rose

• Vetiver

• Bergamot

• Roman chamomile

• Neroli

• Frankincense

• Sandalwood

• Ylang Ylang

• Orange or orange blossom

• Geranium

Play Music

Music drives our emotions. They make us feel something, remember something, or make us excited. Find some that help you relax. R&B songs are a great. Spotify has entire lists of relaxing music that you can try.

Laugh

Laughter has been shown to reduce the physical effects of stress. There’s always something to laugh about. Put on a funny video, make jokes, or watch a stand-up comedy show.

Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal is both an outlet for the stress and a way to keep track of what is causing your anxiety, so you can deal with it. When you spill the words out onto a page you are healing yourself. It’s like being your own therapist. Write about everything and you will see new possible solutions.

Workout

Working out helps you release the tension and fears when you are anxious or stressed. When your pent-up stress builds you have too much energy. Working out, at home or at the gym gives you an outlet to get rid of the excess energy.

Try some of these options today to reduce stress to feel more relaxed and aware of yourself and everything around you.

Do this Next

Choosing to live in the past or to worry about the future puts more stress on you than if you live in the moment. Learn how to reduce your stress using many of the techniques in this guide.

Stress and anxiety lead to all kinds of health problems including physical, mental, and emotional ones. Everything from high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes to insomnia, depression, and suicide. That’s why it’s so important to reduce stress as much as possible in your life.

Simple strategies implemented daily can be used to help you get control over your stress. Figure out what causes you stress then begin finding ways to reduce it and make your life more enjoyable.

Being in the moment has a profound effect on reducing stress and makes you less susceptible to the effects of stress. Make it a habit to be more mindful every day.