Aware is a new free app from the 29k foundation, with open or private, hosted live sessions for mental health, wellbeing and inner development.
Developed by psychologists.
Anxiety reactions are part of a major alarm system in your body that reacts to threats or danger, sometimes called the "fight or flight" reaction. All the physical reactions associated with anxiety are our body's way of preparing to take action in the event of perceived danger. Interestingly enough, this is a significant evolutionary advantage that has kept us alive for centuries.
It comes with an intensive unsettling feeling of discomfort and can manifest in a lot of different ways. Some of the symptoms you can experience can be pressure over your chest or a fast/hard heartbeat. Also, dryness of the mouth, a stomach ache, feeling dizzy, or muscle weakness. Sometimes it may feel like you're living in a bubble, disconnected from your surroundings and feeling like an outside observer of your own thoughts or body with a loss of control over your thoughts or actions.
When we're anxious, we tend to do things that make us feel better in the moment, making things worse in the long run. This throws us in an endless loop. And the more we do to overcome the state we're in, the more anxious we feel. We call this feeding the anxiety monster. We engage in these kinds of behaviors because they make us feel good at the moment. They give us a false sense of being in control.
To work on your anxiety, we have several exercises and courses in the 29k app and as always, reach out to your local healthcare provider.
There are various scienced-backed techniques to help you recover from stressful situations while on the go. While you're at the office, with your families, or riding the bus.
In an acute bout of stress, the first step is to be willing to feel our uncomfortable feelings rather than trying to avoid them. Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to come into our bodies, practice acceptance, and get close to stress-related feelings. These can be physiological sensations like tight chest, high heart rate, exhaustion, or emotional states like irritability or fragility.
Often, taking five to ten minutes to focus on our breath can give us a moment of rest and relaxation, critical components of stress recovery. We recommend finding a seat in a chair and taking long, slow breaths. You can find a guided meditation like this on the 29k: Mental Health app.
Another technique available to help you meet stress at this moment is the body scan. This exercise scan is a form of meditation that brings awareness to your whole body and can help you feel the particular effects of stress in different parts of your body. This is an essential part of learning to recognize stress in yourself before it becomes overwhelming.
Stress will return, and that's ok because it's a natural part of being human! However, it's easier to meet stress with grace in the future when we know we have strategies to manage it.
It starts with self-care, setting healthy boundaries and commitment.
Basic formula:The basic formula backed up by science is: spending time x being courageous x being loving x being aware = deeper connection.
Benefits:Longer life, less stress, increased happiness, sense of meaning. Only then can our body relax, and then we feel safe and connected.
Common regrets:One of the most common regrets people have at the end of their lives is " I've spent too much time on work" and "little focus on my relationships."Steps to deepen relationships.The past 30 yrs of research show that the relationship deepens when our vulnerability is met with compassion. Everyone plays a role in creating such moments. It consists of:
We need to tend to our relationships to make them strong. Growing deep roots in our relationships. However, stressful periods can feel lonely because bonds tend to slip down in our list of priorities. Knowing what we value in life allows us to take action to live a life that is meaningful to us. This allows us to make active decisions on how and with who we want to spend our time.
A great question!
The personal growth practice is individual mental health and wellness activities based on your present needs.For example, if you're struggling with intimacy or relationships. Or critical of yourself or others. Feeling depressed or not knowing what you want. Then creating and committing to a regular personal growth practice will help you identify more supportive behaviors, which will lead to different results.
