"Only when the mind is silent can true knowledge be absorbed"

Today I would like to talk about relaxing. In anxious people, relaxing in itself can cause mild anxiety because we are normally so tuned up that the feeling of relaxing is foreign. But this too shall pass with a little practice. The anxious mind cannot exist without the anxious body. This is true, try it out for yourself! I will go through a few types of relaxation that I use.

Exercise: Heavy weight lifting is not something I recomend for anxious people. Extreamly strenuous exercise can actually do more harm than good. Over doing it can strip you body of essential chemicals that fight depression (which goes hand in hand with anxiety). I recomend cardio.Heavy cardio for beginers is hard on the body and the foreign feelings of a heavy work out may make you a little anxious, for myself I'm usually to tired after a work out to be anxious lol. So for the newbies I suggest walking for at least an hour. Then a light jog for 4 minutes, walk for one for 20 to 30 minutes. Then a 15 to 20 minute jog when you feel like you can. DON"T OVER DUE IT! Shin splints are a B*T*C! lol. Stretch when your body is warm (after you run). I also like to use the eliptical I have in the basement. There is no impact so its easy on your body. You can buy a used deccent one for 100 bucks or you can find them at your local gyn or ymca. Studies have shown significant results in stress relief after only 15to 20 mins of sweaty cardio 5 times a week. Every Dr will agree and recomend this!

Meditation: I love meditation, I can stare into space better than tranquilized autistic kid! (Not a great joke. I love autistic kids, I think they have something beautiful inside them) Its not easy to grasp. People try to meditate and get itchy, fidgity and anxious. You need to work past these feelings. If you itch or are uncomfortable simply maintain your relaxation and slowly move to a possition you need to be or scratch yourself and continue your meditation. At first it is really hard to turn off the mind. My advice is to start with guided meditation you can find on youtube. Your first breaths should be in deep and hold for a count of four then out and hold to 4. Do for or five of these then go to a normal comfortable breath. When in a deep state of trance I breath extreamly light, you can hardly tell i'm breathing. But when you start its always deep breaths. If my mind will not quite down I say One as I breath in (to myself, not out loud silly!) and relax as I breath out. It keeps the mind from wandering. 1 in, relax out, 1 in, relax out…..

Hypnosis: This is by far my favorite! I used to be terrified of hypnosis, I thought the house would burn down and I would be stuck in a trance, I beleived that so crazy hypno guy was relaxing me to implant "buy coka cola" adds inside my head! This is all bull crap. Hypnosis is guided meditation for you subconsious mind. No matter what is suggested, if you do not volentarily accept it, it will never ever effect you. This is true! No one can ever make you dance like a chicken or buy coke over pepsi! Even if you listened to hypnosis tell you to dye your hair purple for a month straight if you think it will not match your green shoes you will not dye your hair purple! So, no negative scary feelings about hypnosis. It is 500% safe. You can get Hypnosis for all kinds of problems and they all work great. I like anger managment, relaxing, wash away anxiety, be more confident…..ect. Their all great. Its best to find a voice that you like with a message that works for you. If you still feel weary, listen to the recording while you're fully conscious to make sure there are no adds spliced into the mix lol. Also, in a Hypnotic state if you feel something may be happening that you need to tend to, you have to pee, you hear the door bell…..All you have to do is get up! I always thought that my brain would be left in hypno state if I got up…lol. My all time favorite Hypnosis is James morris from Complete life coach (google it) you can also find him under 3 minute hypnosis podcast. I get them from itunes best part is, their FREE! He does his thing in under 5 minutes which I think is super kewl. Always makes me feel awesome.

Yoga: Common boys, you wanna wear the tight pants! I don't do yoga, I'm not stretchy! But its basicly cardio, muscle tonning and meditation all in one. It releases all the happy, feel good chemicals you would get from exercise and all you gotta do is stretch and flex. Sounds kewl but I don't want people seein my junk in tight pants lol. I wish I knew more about yoga but i don't. Research it for yourself, I hear it does wonders for anxitey and stress.

With all of this being said. DON"T wait until you are anxious to relax or exercise! Make it a part of your day, week, life and it will flow over to where you need it most. You mind will become more relaxed as your body becomes relaxed. Over time your mind will adapt to this state and work more clearly which will eventually calm your disorder. Over all, think possitve as much as you can and your brain will act possitvely (calm and happy). This negatively and your brain will react negatively (angry, depressed and anxious). Exercise and relax and your mind will be clear and relaxed, do nothing and your mind stays unhappy, anxious and cluttered. Its a no brainer here people. Be active, relax, be happy and possitive and you will lose focus on your anxitey because it will not be there. All you will be left with are your avoidance behaviors. That is what I will write about tomorrow 🙂