Anxiety Blog

Spring Is Here!

3/20/2013

Ah, Spring! I love to see the seasons change and Spring is my favorite! Spring signifies change, renewal, and regrowth! It comes after the cold, dark and dreary days of winter where the trees are bare and the sky is grey. Leaves return to the trees, flowers bloom beautiful colors and the grass returns to its appropriate color of green! People move from being inside to outside and are overall more active! Instead of wearing dark and heavy clothes, we change to lighter and brighter fashions.

Things are changing all around us. How are YOU changing? Are you moving forward with the season or are you stuck in the winter blues? Change can be hard, but with it comes renewal and regrowth. As Richard Bach says, "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." Your transformation into a butterfly is a process, but doing simple things can start you in that direction. For example, as it's getting warmer, get outside and take time to reflect. Stop . . . and smell the flowers; look up at the beautiful sky; take an account of your blessings. Reconnect with people . . . . in person instead of through the computer. Do something nice for someone, just because. Find a way to give back through volunteering or visiting a shut-in neighbor. You will feel more alive as the transformation occurs! What is that one thing you will do to spring YOUR life forward?

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Spring Into Action!

3/19/2013

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You are probably aware of the physical benefits of exercise, but did you know that it can do wonders for your mental and emotional health? Studies show that exercising produces endorphins, our body's natural tranquilizers, which boosts our mood. This is what is referred to when people talk about the 'runner's high'. Increasing physical activity also enhances mental abilities of alertness and concentration. It serves as a focused distraction and a constructive outlet for stress and tension.

Don't have the time for a structured workout right now? That's okay; start small. Park at the end of the parking lot and walk to the building; take the stairs instead of the elevator; get up from your computer chair and jog in place for five minutes. Take advantage of the longer daylight hours and meet someone in the park to walk around the trail. Looking at any activity as some activity will increase the desire to do more activity! As it is said, 'a body at rest stays at rest, but a body in motion stays in motion'! What will you do TODAY to spring your body into action for better physical, mental and emotional health?

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Happy Valentine's Day!

2/14/2013

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February is the month for chocolate! Many of us will give and receive delectable sweets mostly in the form of chocolate! Wait….before you put that third or fourth cupcake to your lips, read this! Too many sugary sweets can affect your mood. Research shows that processed sugars are quickly absorbed in the body raising endorphin levels creating a rise in mood or happiness. Too much sugar intake will set off the brain’s trigger to regulate the amount of endorphins, thus creating a down or depressed mood. Feeling this ‘crash’, we reach for the next cupcake hoping to return to the good feelings we had before; creating a vicious cycle. Don’t let sugar become a replacement for a healthy mind, body and soul. Enjoy Valentine’s Day . . . in moderation! Don’t beat yourself up if you splurge, though; just know you've been warned!

Be Sweet to Yourself and contact me to help you release your fears and enjoy the life you were called to live! Anxiety and depression go hand in hand and can be weighing you down, limiting you from doing things you used to do or would like to do. Counseling can help!

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Anxiety On The Prowl?

2/12/2013

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Lions. They are fierce, powerful and unyielding to the cries of their prey. Their audacious roars can be heard from five miles away. Is your anxiety on the prowl? Do you hear the roar of the lion when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel the pressure of a four hundred pound beast on your chest when you are faced with uncertainties? It may seem inconceivable, but the truth is that you are the king of your jungle, not your anxiety! Just like lions can be tamed to deliver jaw-dropping performances of gentleness; your anxiety can be tamed to bring you peace!

Anxiety can be tamed by facing it head on with education and strategies to neutralize the emotional charge and placing it in the proper perspective to be helpful. For instance, did you know that it is physiologically impossible to be anxious and relaxed at the same time? It would stand to reason, then, that practicing relaxation techniques on a consistent basis would be advantageous! It doesn't have be anything complicated; just S-L-O-W deep breaths. Be sure to breathe from your abdomen to increase your oxygen supply to the brain. Go ahead and try a few right now; breathe in deeply and slowly to a count of 4, pause for 2 seconds, and then exhale slowly to a count of 4. When you exhale slowly, you will feel the tension releasing as your shoulders drop and you let your body go limp. Do this 2-3 times daily and you will noticeably see a difference in your stress and anxiety levels!

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Spring Is Here!

Spring Into Action!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Anxiety On The Prowl?

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