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5 Mini Mantras to Get Your Through a Panic Attack

7/28/2016

I've depended on mantras during quite a few times in my life. I use them when meditating, to stay motivated, to release stress, and especially when I had panic attacks.

Here are my 5 favorite mini mantras to help cope with anxiety and panic when they show up

1~ This is only anxiety. It can't hurt me.

2~ Even though it may feel like it, I'm not in actual danger.

3~ As I breathe, this will pass.

4~ I release this feeling to the universe and trust that everything will be ok

5~ I'm in charge and my anxiety doesn't rule me

I call on these mantras when I'm feeling stressed out, if I feel panic start to rise or if I find myself dealing with a situation that feels overwhelming.

Mantras are a great way to work through anxiety because they do two things for us- they stop our minds from spinning out of control by giving us something to focus on (which releases anxiety's grip on us) and brings us back to the present moment (which is helpful when anxiety riddles us with 'what if' thinking and future freaking).

Write these down and put them where you can see them! Tape them to the bathroom mirror, hang them on the refrigerator or keep them folded up on a piece of paper in your wallet.

Pick one that feels good for you, or create your own!, and use it when you start to feel that all too familiar feeling of stress or tension.

sat nam

xo, b

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How to Allow People to Show Up for You in Their Own Way

7/16/2016

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Have you ever been disappointed by someone because they didn't do what you thought they would? Or because they didn't handle a situation the way you wanted them to? I've been there. It used to stress me out (and, honestly, make me upset!) when people wouldn't come through for me the way I would've liked them to, or frankly, the way I expected them to. The thing about thinking like this is that it's not really the other person that's affected by any of this- it's you! A co-worker didn't realize I was agitated if they didn't complete a project the way I preferred them to and my friends didn't notice if I was pissed because I anticipated them to do something they didn't.
My issue was that I was focusing on projecting my internal expectations to external people and circumstances.. and then getting frustrated at the outcome! Thing is, we can't control other people. We can't always control outcomes. But what we can control, or take part in, are our own expectations.

Here are 3 ways to allow people to show up for you in their own ways~

*Give them space to

I know... sometimes we think it's easiest if we just do things ourselves. I get it. But if you don't create space for people to step in, they never will. Be open to letting someone help you or take them up on their advice. Instead of shutting people out, give them the opportunity to be there for you and they often will!

*Ditch expectations

A lot of times we get frustrated because people don't do what we would like them to. Guess what? They aren't you! Everyone has their own way of doing things and if you always hold people to your expectations, instead of accepting them the way they are, it will always be you that's let down.

*Accept (and be thankful for!) what's offered

Even if it's not how you anticipated it or what you expected, if someone reaches out to you in an honest and caring way, allow yourself to accept and appreciate the gesture. People can't read minds and someone may be genuinely showing you love, but because it's not what you thought it would look like, you don't recognize it. Maybe it's a text instead of a phone call or a card instead of a visit. Don't hold anger or frustration towards someone else's way of showing you they care.

Once I started creating space for people, ditching my expectations of how I thought things "should" go and learned to accept and appreciate people and outcomes, I found I became a lot less stressed out about things. I was able to find value in things I might not have before and I even gave myself the permission to show up for people however I could, instead of putting immense pressure on myself to be who and what they wanted me to be.

sat nam!

xo b

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Past, Present, Future

7/9/2016

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When I think of the reasons that a lot of us have anxiety, one often sticks out in my mind the most- future freaking.

What is future freaking? Well, it's pretty much what it sounds like. We spend a huge amount of time having anxiety about future events or situations and stressing about their outcomes. Think about the last time you were super anxious. Were you freaking about something that hadn't happened yet? An upcoming flight? A presentation at work? A lot of us are experts are worrying about the future and imagining all of these worst case scenario's in our heads. I share a tip with a lot of my students and it's something I use a lot when anxious- the Present Pause. I literally stop, focus and bring my attention back to the present moment. There is an awesome kundalini meditation that I love to lead and it's super easy to do at home when you need a little extra help releasing the trap of future freaking. So if you find yourself obsessing over something that hasn't even happened yet, or you just need a little support getting back to your present moment, try this meditation and start to feel better in minutes!

Kundalini Meditation to Ditch Future Freaking

~ start with sitting up tall
~use this mudra: rest the back of your left hand in your right palm. lay your right thumb in your left palm and cross your left thumb over your right one. it's like your thumbs are locked. then wrap your right fingers around the outside of your left hand.

~bring your interlocked hands to your heart
~use this mantra: dhan, dhan, ram dass gura
~do it: 11 minutes

Try this meditation the next time you want to stay connected to the present moment.

sat nam,
xo b

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Do you take time for you?

7/7/2016

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This is something I often think about towards the end of my day.

Since having a baby, my daily life pretty much revolves around meeting someone else's needs. And in the gaps between, I'm doing laundry, cooking dinner, taking care of our pets, cleaning up toys, prepping meals, running errands.. it's really easy for me to slide to the bottom of my list when it comes to my priorities.

I know for me, when I'm not taking care of myself, that gives my anxiety free range to come party. And I have no time for that! (literally haha!)

So I recently thought about some things I could do that would help me find 'me time' and that would help me feel replenished when I spend a lot of my day in 'give' mode. One of the things I did was join a gym. It's a great way for me to get my baby out of the house and around other little ones while I sneak in a solid hour of time just for myself. I've been hitting the gym a few times a week and always feel immediately better and refreshed post- sweat sesh.

I also make it a priority now to spend at least one of the babe's naps relaxing. Absolutely no cleaning, chores, dishes... whatever. I have been using her first nap of the day to take a bath or sit in my backyard with a magazine.

In the evening, once the baby is in bed and dinner has been finished and cleaned up, I made it a priority to get to bed early. It may seem obnoxiously early, but for me I found it helps to get that extra rest when i'm doing multiple wake ups during the night. I curl up, put on a favorite show and allow myself to "check out" for a bit. I used to journal or catch up on social media, but i found it suits me better to just unplug and unwind during this time.

Me Time is an absolute must to rejuvenate and replenish you. When you're tired, overwhelmed, overworked, or just plain stretched too thin, you are creating a breeding ground for anxiety. Anxious thoughts can run wild in a stressed out and tired mind. If you can, find time during your day for a quick mediation, yoga stretch, walk outside or even a quick nap. If your day is jam packed, as they often are, consider waking up a half hour early to read or journal. You don't even have to get up! Try some yoga twists in bed. Sometimes it can feel selfish to make yourself a priority, but if you don't, you can't show up to be your best self. To be a better person, partner, parent you have have to make time for yourself.

Figure out one thing you can do for you and do it every day for one full week. Journal how you feel after the week. See how you're able to show up in the world and for the people around you. I bet you'll notice the shift almost immediately.

How can you show up for yourself today?

Sat nam,
xo b

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Author

I'm a formerly anxious chick that found my zen on the mat. I used yoga, pranayama and yogic philosophies to alleviate my debilitating anxiety and get my life back on track. Now, I spend my time teaching yoga, coaching others and helping people find a more peaceful path in life.

* The opinions expressed on this blog are solely my own and what personally worked for me. Always consult a physician before starting any new yoga or workout routine.

5 Mini Mantras to Get Your Through a Panic Attack

How to Allow People to Show Up for You in Their Own Way

Past, Present, Future

Do you take time for you?

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