Free yourself from Stress & Anxiety: A Practical Technique

Written by Lynn Roberts

Stress, anxiety and worry are among the greatest problems facing people today. But how great would it be to be able to turn it off? How much easier would life be if you could go into a calm state at will?

Chronic anxiety and stress are all habits that can be learned or unlearned. You can get good at anxiety, or you can get good at calm; you will most easily slip into the state that you practice most.

Over the next few editions of About the Town Magazine, I will share some amazing techniques created by eminent scientists, psychologists and wellbeing coaches that I use with clients and in my anxiety workshops. For most people, the technique below will bring about immediate positive changes, so use it whenever you feel stressed or anxious.

Each technique I share will build on this one to create new habits of thinking and feeling, and if practiced, will have you feeling more positive and calm.

The first technique is a visualisation technique created by the Institute of HeartMath. It’s called Freeze Frame and is used by all branches of the US military to bring them back to calm in stressful situations.

I suggest you familiarise yourself with the technique by reading through it several times before you start.

First, check how much anxiety you are feeling on a scale of 1-10

1. Become aware of the symptoms of anxiety you are experiencing in your body and mind and how they feel.

2. Place your hand over your heart and focus your energy and attention on this area. Take several slow, gentle breaths into your heart, concentrating on the feeling of your hand on your chest.

3. Recall a time when you felt really good – when you felt happy, relaxed, loved, and joyful. Return to that memory now and really put yourself back in that time and place. Take in all the sensory information, what could you see, hear, smell, taste, feel and feel how good you felt. (If you can’t remember a time, use your imagination to create an experience; what would it look and feel like?)

4. As you feel all these good feelings, imagine your heart could speak to you. Ask your heart how you can care for yourself better now.

5. Listen to your heart’s answer and take in the messages it sends.

Rate your feelings if anxiety on a scale of 1-10 now – Has it improved?

Most people feel a difference instantly but don’t worry if you don’t; keep practising whenever you feel stressed or anxious, and you will get results.

Lynn Roberts is the owner of Regain – Psy-Tap & Clinical Hypnotherapy Practice