It’s easy to become overwhelmed and/or blocked as
we ruminate about past events or worry about the future. To improve the quality
of our lives, we need to find and implement appropriate anxiety antidotes.
Here are ten anxiety antidotes that work for me:
- Breathe.
Whenever you are anxious, deeply and calmly breathe in and out. As you
draw your next breath, focus on the rise of your abdomen on the in-breath
and feel the sensation of the air as it fills your lungs and leaves
through your nostrils.
- Journal.
Set aside ten minutes each day to write about your feelings,
relationships, triggers, and goals. Write quickly and do not linger over
each page. As time progresses, you will notice changes in your writing style
and content. Solutions may emerge and help improve your present situation.
- Take regular breaks away
from social media and your devices. Use those pockets of time
to meditate, stretch, soak in a bubble bath, complete a crossword puzzle,
flip through a travel brochure, or read the first chapter in a book that
has been sitting on your nightstand.
- Take a brisk walk in the
evening with a friend or spouse. The exercise will increase
blood flow to your heart and brain. You will also have an opportunity to
talk about your day and share your frustrations.
- Surround yourself with
inspiration. Follow the advice that Blake Mycoskie gave
in his book, Start Something That Matters (2012). In the early days of the
TOMS start-up, the young entrepreneur experienced many scary moments. His
line of credit was often fully drawn, and his credit cards were maxed out.
Lacking a board of directors who could advise and motivate him, Mycoskie
surrounded himself with inspirational quotations and read the biographies
of successful people.
- Display your trophies. It
is easy to overlook your accomplishments when you allow them to be
overshadowed by negative thoughts. Instead, surround yourself with
evidence of past successes by keeping awards, publishers’ checks, and
congratulatory notes on display in your home. If space is at a premium,
take pictures of the memorabilia and organize them in a scrapbook.
- Listen to music.
According to studies cited in Trends in Cognitive Science, you can improve
your mood, relieve anxiety and depression, and activate the parts of the
brain involved in movement, memory, planning, and attention.
- Take up a sport or hobby
that forces you to pay attention. When you play tennis, you
must be aware of everything that is happening. You do not have time to
worry about the shot you missed because another one is coming right back
at you. Similarly, you must concentrate when you play bridge or poker. If
your attention strays, you risk losing the game.
- Play an instrument.
Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital claim that regular instrument playing
boosts the brain’s executive function, which includes problem-solving
skills and the ability to focus.
- Clean out your purse or
wallet at the end of each day. You may be surrounded by chaos and
uncertainty, but this small task can help you psychologically declutter
and feel more in control of your day.
Do you have an anxiety antidote
to share?
Book Blurb
Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling, possibly even toxic secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets—secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, the nieces listen as Angelica travels back six decades to reveal an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.
Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their
“First World” problems and, in the process, set themselves free.
But one heartbreaking secret remains untold...
Excerpt from NO MORE SECRETS
March 1959
On the morning of March 29, I woke up earlier than usual and made
my way to the deck. Scheduled to dock at Halifax at some point in the morning,
I was determined to experience every moment of this auspicious beginning. For
the longest time, there was nothing to see, and I could feel the growing
restlessness of the small crowd that had gathered. Around nine o’clock, I heard
a distant hoot and murmurs of a pilot boat approaching. The sounds became
louder, and within minutes, a boat appeared: Canada’s first greeting.
The boat came alongside, and the captain—in civilian clothes—climbed aboard our vessel. Slowly, the fog began to clear, and the sun peeked through the clouds. But there was still no land in sight.
A black stripe that resembled a thundercloud materialized over the fog. I shivered, not quite ready to experience the grayness of Halifax, a warning I had heard many times from immigrants who had previously undertaken this journey.
A cheer broke through the growing crowd, and someone yelled, “Land ahoy.” The last patch of cloud disappeared, and our new homeland spread out before our eyes. I delighted in this vision of a pristine Halifax, white houses blending in beautifully with the accumulations of white snow. I breathed in a new fragrance, one of a distant forest. As we got closer, I saw men cutting logs. It was a Canadian postcard come to life; years later, I would refer to this tableau as my one and only Norman Rockwell experience.
It is difficult for native-born Canadians to understand the depths of emotion felt by immigrants as they arrived in this country. As soon as I saw that first patch of land, I knew nothing would ever be the same again. I would cherish the memories of my life in Italy—and I would be grateful for the many life lessons I had learned the past year—but I wouldn’t dwell upon them. I was ready for my Canadian adventure.
Book Trailer for NO MORE SECRETS
Buy Links
Amazon (UK) Amazon (Australia)
Author Bio
A member of Crime
Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association,
Joanne Guidoccio writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romances, and inspirational
literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario. Connect with her here:
Thanks for hosting me, Nancy :)
ReplyDeleteO always learn so much during your visits. Thanks for visiting and sharing your new book.
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