If you feel anxious from time to time, that's completely normal. When anxiety becomes overwhelming, you may be tempted to seek solace in prescription medication, alcohol, or drugs. These methods, though, inherently bring problems of their own.
The good news is you can get through anxious moments on your own without mind-altering drugs. Your worries can be transformed into peace with simple, natural strategies. One of these techniques is using prayer and meditation.
Which is Better: Prayer or Meditation?
The answer is simple: Use whichever you prefer. Some people have a close relationship with a higher power, while others do not. No matter what your religious belief, you can conquer your anxiety through your thoughts and affirmations - no medication required! If you like to pray, that's great. If you want to meditate instead, then do whichever technique makes you feel the most comfortable is acceptable. This is about getting better, and you know best what will make you feel at ease.
How to Get Started
You can start on your path to an anxiety-free life right away; it all begins with a deep breath. Pull the air deep down into your diaphragm, and let it out slowly. Do this several
times and you'll start to feel calmer.
Are you breathing effectively? When you take in air, if only the top part of your lungs expands, your chest rises and falls. When you live the right way - the calming way -your belly rises and falls, not your upper chest, because your entire lungs are being filled with fresh air.
Avoid breathing from your upper chest only and,u'll already is on the road to feeling calmer and less anxious. It's a simple thing to do and a great way to get started. The more you do it, the more it'll become automatic. Soon, you'll feel calmer without even thinking about your breathing anymore.
Here are some other tips to help you feel calm while praying or meditating:
1. Use your breathing like a mantra. Inhale while you give yourself positive thoughts and feelings. Exhale anything negative you're in or feeling. Breathing is the
rhythm of life. Use it to your advantage.
2. Pray or meditate at the same time each day. Spend a few minutes - it doesn't have to be a long time - in quiet reflection. Say good things to yourself. You can focus on your health, finances, family, or anything you want to make stronger. Avoid negative thinking during this time.
3. Laugh. Try saying "ho, ho, ho, he, he, he, ha, ha, ha" and other silly phrases out loud.
When you do, you'll start to smile, then grin, and then laugh for real! And when you're laughing, you can't frown or feel anxious!
4. Pray or meditate with others. Join a church, take up yoga, or find a support group for anxiety. Many others share your struggle, and you can feel better about yourself
and more in-tune with others when you share your feelings.
Next Steps
When you start your journey toward personal peace through prayer or meditation, expect to conquer your anxiety. However, avoid the trap of assuming you'll do it in one day or even in one week. It took time to get where you are, and it'll take time to get back to where you want to be.
The important thing is to take that first step and then enjoy and appreciate the journey.
Every journey begins with that first step, and once you make it, you'll be on your way.
Breathe. Laugh. Meditate or pray. Find time to think about and interact with others, rather than concentrating on your worries.
When you do these things, you'll become calmer and more focused. Most importantly, you'll be back to being happy again, and there's no greater gift you can give yourself than joy!
About the Author: Netsanet Tegegn, LCSW Is a Psychotherapist in Virginia Beach who provides individualized counseling services for those who wish to create long-lasting and positive changes in their lives...