4-STEPS TO REDUCE “SCHOOL-SHOOTING” ANXIETY

Moms everywhere- including my clients- are asking me how they can feel comfortable sending their kids to school these days. They are questioning if it’s even safe to take their kids to Target or the grocery store in fear of the next mass-shooting.

For people with anxiety, one of the common ways to reduce fear is to review the facts of the situation, and to then realize that many of the worst case scenarios they worry about are unlikely to happen.

But in the case of random gun violence, it turns out it ISN’T irrational to be worried about public shootings. The rash of mass shooting that have recently swept the nation are the facts. The worst case scenarios are actually happening- and are happening randomly. So if you happen to have any pre-existing anxiety issues, these shootings are likely to activate your already-hyper-vigilant nervous system to the extreme.

The question is: how can the average person feel safe in the world right now, especially those with pre-existing Anxiety Disorders who are prone to feeling unsafe in many contexts?

“How can the average person feel safe in the world right now,
especially those with pre-existing Anxiety Disorders,
who are prone to already feeling unsafe?

Fortunately, our Advanced Holistic Counseling tm helps our clients to achieve more peace and positivity- even in these difficult times- by pairing Traditional Psychotherapy with the very best Holistic Tools.

Below you will find a 4-Step Process I’ve used with several of my clients to help them feel grounded, safe enough, and clear when they are overwhelmed. The goal for all of us is to stay functional and focused on thriving while living in a world where safety is not guaranteed.


“Since we can’t lock our kids in the house for the next 20 years or move to Canada, parents everywhere need solid techniques to help us cope with the worry about random violence.”

STEP 1:  ALWAYS START BY  PRACTICING “DIALECTICAL RADICAL ACCEPTANCE”

(I recently coined the new phrase “Dialectical Radical Acceptance” because it captures both of the strengths of being “dialectical” and “radically accepting”)

The first step to feel more grounded and sane during these confusing times is to radically accept how you are feeling. It’s important to make sense of all of your conflicting thoughts and feeling by radically accepting each of them and validating that each one exists.   

Step 1 is likely to make you feel relieved and it looks like this:

“I radically accept that I am feeling really unsafe”

AND

“I radically accept that it’s normal to feel unsafe and scared at this time”

AND 

“I radically accept that this is triggering my desire to hyper-control life or crawl into bed and just give up.   I radically accept that these unpredictable and depressing events are triggering my anxiety/ depression/ trauma/control issues/etc.”

AND

“I radically accept that I won’t be able to control life entirely and that I need to keep a healthy balance between living a normal, functional life in an unpredictable world.

AND

“I radically accept that that there are no guarantees that life always be safe, but I can focus on the concept that life is mostly SAFE ENOUGH

AND

“I radically accept that I might need to put some extra effort in to using more tools to reduce my anxiety and stress. I radically accept that I need to be willing to do this.”

AND

“I radically accept that I’m soooo tired of anxiety, I’m mad at these shooters, and I’m annoyed that life has to be this way”

AND

“I radically accept that I can take one step at a time, one moment at a time, and I will get through this.”

STEP 2: RELEASE YOUR PHYSICAL STRESS RESPONSE
Humans are animals have an automatic stress response built in to protect them.  When we are afraid, our bodies equip us to fight , flight, or freeze by releasing adrenaline into our system. 

So what happens when we 1) have thoughts that make us feel anxious, stressed, freaked out, or angry…
2) have adrenaline dumped into our system … 3) but we DON’T fight or run? 


Well, if we don’t fight or run, the adrenaline just sits in our blood stream and makes us feel tweaked, hypervigilant, irritable, nervous, overwhelmed, antsy, and trapped.   

The fact is, once you are feeling stressed out, you MUST reduce the adrenaline in your physical body if you want to emotionally feel better.   There is no other way. 

So, if you’ve been feeling anxious about the recent string of random gun violence, you have two options to reduce the adrenaline in your blood stream if you want to feel better.
1) Use diaphragmatic (belly) breathing often because engaging the diaphragm actually sucks adrenaline out of your body.
2) Use exercise like jumping jacks, sprints, walking, jumping rope, or getting on the peloton or treadmill so that you can deplete the adrenaline and bring your body back to a baseline. 

This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6U3dg3GPqY
is a fast, experiential guide I made to show you how to “belly breath” most effectively
 


STEP 3: FOCUS ON A CENTERING AFFIRMATION OR A MEANINGFUL “WHY”
We need to have an intentional focus to not only get through hard times, but also to thrive. 

This gives us a “why” for using our coping skills and navigating challenges.

Centering Affirmations like these are most helpful when they are repeated frequently throughout the day. You should expect to say these things to yourself anywhere between 10-100 times a day to interrupt your negative mindset and to keep you focused on how you want to feel.

Repeat any of these affirmations frequently, or create one of your own
Repeating the Serenity Prayer
“Life is not always safe, but it is safe enough most of the time”
“I surrender this to love”
“I choose to focus on love instead of this fear”
“I am capable and resilient”
“I will simply put one foot in front of the other”
“I can do this”
“I am a source of calm strength for others and for my children”
“I make wise decisions “
“This too will pass, nothing is permanent”
“Everyday I am becoming stronger and more resilient”
“We can do hard things, I can do hard things.”
“I must stay in the light, otherwise the dark wins”
“I am an intentional creator that helps lift myself and others up”
“I lead with compassion first” 
“I trust, I trust, I trust”



STEP 4: CHANNEL YOUR ENERGY INTO ACTIVITES THAT MAKE YOUR FEEL EMPOWERED
Sometimes we love the people in our lives soooo much that we can end of worrying endlessly about them. Worry and fear are simply love gone awry. “Step 4” helps us to stay in more positive feelings by channeling worry energy into activities that make us feel like we are a part of the solution. Feeling empowered feels so much better than feeling helpless and hopeless.

Here are some ways to channel your worry into positive, empowering activities:

1.Send healing light or prayers to everyone you are concerned about.  Every time you start to worry about a person or issue, bathe it in a golden, white healing energy.  Sending healing energy to the people you love gives you something useful to do when you feel helpless….and actually might calm or heal them.

2.Become part of the solution.  Channel your energy into volunteering, taking action steps, or helping in small or big ways to be a part of the change you want to see in the world.

3.Focus on strengths and feed your gratitude.  Be grateful for the positive.  Count every blessing.  Think of ways the situation could be worse. Often things could be worse.  Go on a “rampage of appreciation”.



STEPS 5 : ADD EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES (EFT) TO STEPS 1-4
EFT is a therapeutic tools that can be used to program in each step. Your therapist can help you to “tap” on your acupuncture points while reinforcing the radical acceptance statements, affirmations, or discussing how to channel the energy into empowering activities.


The school shootings and other recent gun violence is angering, frightening, and shocking for most people, and can be even more overwhelming for those with pre-existing anxiety disorder. Use these steps to help you feel grounded again, and to help you find the strength and focus to continue to thrive even when life is chaotic.


Beth Miller, LCSW-R, CEC, CAHC is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, meditation teacher, and spiritual counselor in private practice in Sayville, Long Island, New York USA.  She is the owner of the group practice POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute where she and her fabulous team of therapists use the breakthrough model Advanced Holistic Counseling to create transformational change in their clients.    Beth is the creator of the trademarked Advanced Holistic Counseling:  modern therapy that combines the very best of traditional psychotherapy with life coaching, energy healing, science, and spirituality.   Now, Licensed Therapists can learn how to experience huge transformation in themselves, their clients, and their careers by becoming Certified in Advanced Holistic Counseling.  For free holistic and psychotherapy tools, visit the POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute youtube channel.

This Modern Buddhist “Meditation” Actually Transforms Moods & Energy

ANNOYED WITH YOUR PARTNER?
DEPRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD?
OVERWHELMED BY YOUR TO-DO LIST?

Life. Can. Be. Challenging.

And it can be pretty hard to feel positive or loving when your edges are getting pushed.

Fortunately, our Advanced Holistic Counseling tm helps our clients to get back into a positive state by using a ton of Holistic Tools in addition to ​​​​​​ traditional Psychotherapy.   

One of my favorite spiritual tools that helps clients get out of a negative funk is not only practical, but is also extremely effective at relieving frustration, irritation, anger, resent, hopelessness, sadness, judgement or rejection.

 

The Prayer of Loving Kindness is kind of amazing.
It’s easy to recite, anyone can do it,
and it causes an immediate energy shift the first time you try it.

 

Now, don’t worry:::  you don’t need to be a yogi or go to church every Sunday to use this Buddhist prayer.  In fact, you don’t even need to believe in “prayer” at all, and it’s unlikely to offend any of your existing practices or beliefs.    Simply think of The Prayer of Loving Kindness as if you are reading a lovely poem or reciting an affirmation that will change your overall energy in a snap.

There are many versions of The Prayer of Loving Kindness, but all of them appear to be strategically written.  Basically, the prayer is layered and it ramps up your compassion towards everyone, everything, everywhere in stages. 

1) First, you say a brief prayer for yourself because you want to feel happier, be healthier, and be well. 

2) Then, you say the prayer about someone you care about.  This step usually feels really good and generates a lot of positive vibes. And even though you want the best for those you love, you probably spend a lot of time sending them blessings and good-fortune, so this is a great opportunity to out some loving energy. 

3) Next, you are invited to imagine someone you’re  having a hard time thinking positively about and say the Prayer of Loving Kindness for them.  This will help to melt your annoyance towards them and replace it with compassion.   I know, I know.  You’re probably thinking that they don’t deserve your compassion, but just do it anyway.  Remember:::   softening your anger or judgement will always make YOU feel better and frankly will make your energy overall more lovely. 

4) Finally, you send the earth and all of it’s beings the same loving kindness.   This can help you feel less judgmental towards other countries or humans in general, allows you to bless the animals and oceans, and create a feeling of one-ness with everything.  And since “one-ness” is a feeling we all treasure (think of being at a rock concert or sports game where you’re totally in sync with all of the other people cheering), The Prayer of Loving Kindness smartly ends on this note.

 

“And poof!  Just like that, this little prayer has transformed your negativity into a much more positive state.    In fact, even if you don’t want to feel better, it will probably release some of your lower emotions and help you feel neutral. “

 

When it boils down to it,  the only thing keeping us stuck in our unhappiness is OURSELVES.   Why not give yourself this gift today?  Use The Prayer of Loving Kindness and watch your energy shift into a more positive state-  which not only affects your mood, but is also very likely to transform the energy in your relationships, financial, career, and success goals, too!   (Afterall, energy is energy 🙂


THE PRAYER OF LOVING KINDNESS

Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Breath in.  Breath out.  Relax into some deep breaths.
Open your eyes and read this verse:

May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be well.
May I be peaceful and at ease
May I be happy.

Breath in.  Breath out.  Relax into some deep breaths.
Now think of someone you care about and say the prayer for them:

May  “John” be filled with loving kindness.
May he be well.
My he be peaceful and at ease.
May he be happy.

Breath in.  Breath out.  Relax into some deep breaths.
Now expand the prayer out to someone who you have difficulties with:

May “Lucy” be filled with loving kindness.
May she be well.
May she be peaceful and at ease.
May she be happy.

Breath in.  Breath out.  Relax into some deep breaths.
Now expand the prayer out to groups of people, nations, or those who are suffering:

May all of the people of the world be filled with loving kindness.
May they be well.
May they be peaceful and at ease.
May they be happy.

Breath in.  Breath out.  Relax into some deep breaths.
Now expand the prayer to the whole earth:

May Mother Earth be filled with loving kindness.
May the trees be well, may all the animals be well, may the oceans and mountains be well.

May the whole earth be well.
May she be peaceful and at ease.
May she be happy.

After this, you can gradually begin to include others: friends, community members, neighbors, people everywhere, animals, the whole earth, and all beings. You can even experiment with including the most difficult people in your life, wishing that they too be filled with loving kindness and peace. With some practice, this Buddhist prayer can be used frequently to create a more dominant sense of compassion for yourself and others, can be used to send healing energy to others, and can transform challenges in relationships.

Beth Miller, LCSW-R, CEC, CAHC is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, meditation teacher, and spiritual counselor in private practice in Sayville, Long Island, New York USA.  She is the owner of the group practice POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute where she and her fabulous team of therapists use the breakthrough model Advanced Holistic Counseling to create transformational change in their clients.    Beth is the creator of the trademarked Advanced Holistic Counseling:  modern therapy that combines the very best of traditional psychotherapy with life coaching, energy healing, science, and spirituality.   Now, Licensed Therapists can learn how to experience huge transformation in themselves, their clients, and their careers by becoming Certified in Advanced Holistic Counseling.  For free holistic and psychotherapy tools, visit the POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute youtube channel.

5 Tricks To Get Off Your Butt and (Finally) Meditate

My sister had a teacher in third grade who tried to teach her students to meditate.  That was over 30 year ago and I still remember her little hands trying to imitate the “Om” hand posture while making fun of what she had learned.    Well, It turns out she that her hippy teacher was way ahead of her time.
 

Things have changed. Over the last 15 years, meditation has become mainstream, along with yoga, reiki, and very fibrous kale.  As the creator of Advanced Holistic Counseling tm, a  fresh modern therapy model that combines the best of Traditional Psychotherapy with the best Holistic Modalities and Alternative Tools, I am ecstatic that being still is finally being recognized for the physical, emotional, mental, and material transformations it creates.    I LOVE that people are realizing that mediation, mindfulness, and visualization can create feelings of peace, help to manifest abundance, and have even been scientifically demonstrated to change brain functioning in a research project with the Dali Lama.    But, even though meditation has gone mainstream, why aren’t most people actually doing it? 

 

“Even though meditation has gone mainstream,
why aren’t most people actually doing it?” 


So…Why Aren’t YOU Meditating?

If meditating is so darn good for you, why aren’t you doing it? (Note: If you are meditating on a daily basis, read on anyway because I’ve got tips for my yogi friends too).

Most of you aren’t getting down with your daily Om for two reasons: time and know-how. You don’t make the time for it in your busy lives and you don’t know what to do to maximize the results of sitting and “doing nothing”.

Let’s solve both right now.

 

5 EASY WAYS TO GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND (FINALLY) SIT DOWN TO MEDITATE
1) Stop seeing this as a “have” to and realize it’s a “get to”. This is your one chance everyday to sit down, do nothing, and not feel guilty about it.  Start realizing it’s actually productive to “be still”.  Change your thinking to:  “Finally, I GET TO meditate!”  
2) Ritualize it. Get it into your routine the way you brush your teeth or make your bed. For example,  meditating after you eat your lunch everyday makes it a habit that you will remember. 
3) Plan it for when you need it. Plan your meditation for a time during the day when you are desperate for quiet or down time. What time of day are you wiped or need to recharge? Once you see how great it feels to relax you will be clamoring to get to your meditation everyday.
4) Just give yourself 10 minutes. Optimal meditations are 15-30 minutes but most people can commit to and will benefit from less. I even have a 7 minute “Immediate Peace Meditation” you can get by putting your email in here .
5) Make unused time feel good! Meditate during these unlikely times and you will easily fit it in your busy schedule: outside during your lunch break, on the train while commuting with itunes meditation music on, in your car while waiting for your child’s pre-k class to let out, when your friend is running late, in the middle of the night when you can’t go back to sleep, anytime you would normally watch a boring repeat on tv.

5 EASY WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MEDITATIONS
1) Take the pressure off. Meditation doesn’t have to be some big deal. If you are tired, use the time to just rest your eyes and BE. Allow yourself nod off or let your mind wander. Put music on to help soothe you. The goal is relaxation, especially when you are just learning.
2) Expect nothing and you will do it right. Most people feel like they have failed when they try to meditate because they simply can’t stop thinking. But asking your mind not to think is like expecting the ocean not to wave. Don’t expect yourself to be blissful and void of thought when first learning.
3) Use lavender. Get a small bottle of lavender oil from the local health food store and dab some of your wrists as you ready yourself to meditate. Inhale the smell deeply.
4) Let everything come and go. You will think of many things while sitting quietly. This is normal and fine. Every thought wants your attention like a demanding little child. Just notice each thought and let it pass like a cloud in the sky. Your thoughts will slow down over time.
5) Fill your mind with beauty. If your mind is busy, give it good things to think about: Imagine the wonderful summer you are going to enjoy, remember a lovely sunny day or a fun memory, envision something you want to create, imagine white divine healing light gently flowing over your head and whole body.

 

BONUS:  FILL YOURSELF WITH LIGHT. Sit down and think of 5 things you are grateful for. Imagine each item causing your heart to fill with more and more pink light. Once your heart is full, send this light out to fill the room you are sitting in and then send it to people you want to receive your love and healing.

 

“Making meditation hard defeats the whole purpose.
Start by giving yourself some quiet time everyday. Over time, you can add new bells & whistles to your practice…but first just build an enjoyable habit. “


JUST SAY YES

Life is full of no’s and challenges. Why not just say yes to making meditating easy and yes to making some quiet time for yourself everyday? If you’re skeptical about your return on investment and whether your time will be worth it, consider one of my clients who was suffering from postpartum who felt overwhelmed when she was stuck in the house with a new baby during the winter. She told me she’s “not too into that kinda thing” because “it seems kinda weird.”     No problem, I said, but let’s just give it a whirl anyhoo because something needs to change, right?  So I sent her my 5 FREE guided audio meditations you can get by signing up here, hoping she would give it a try. I got a call from her the other day. Turns out she’s been giving herself the gift of being quiet…and it’s paying off enormously.

 

 

Beth Miller, LCSW-R, CEC, CAHC is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, meditation teacher, and spiritual counselor in private practice in Sayville, Long Island, New York USA.  She is the owner of the group practice POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute where she and her fabulous team of therapists use the breakthrough model Advanced Holistic Counseling to create transformational change in their clients.    Beth is the creator of the trademarked Advanced Holistic Counseling:  modern therapy that combines the very best of traditional psychotherapy with life coaching, energy healing, science, and spirituality.   Now, Licensed Therapists can learn how to experience huge transformation in themselves, their clients, and their careers by becoming Certified in Advanced Holistic Counseling.  For free holistic and psychotherapy tools, visit the POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute youtube channel.

 

upset black couple sitting apart at home

SURPISING WAYS WE GRIEVE- AND THE BEST HOLISTIC TIPS THAT HELP

Even though grief is a natural reaction to painful events, it is often misunderstood.   Surprisingly. Sometimes we don’t even realize we are even grieving.  Shock, disbelief, numbness, sadness, anger, irritability, lack of focus, denial, sleep disturbances and loss of appetite are all common manifestations of grief.  While some people may feel despair or hopeless when they’ve had a loss, others might feel disoriented, “lost”, or can’t figure out “what to do next.”   Because there are so many ways that grief expresses itself, we might not connect our symptoms of grief with the loss we had. Sometime we don’t realize that our irritability or inability to sleep is because of the grief that’s still lingering in the background. In fact, the more we resume “normal” activities after a loss, the higher our own expectations may be to feel normal as well…and the more likely you might be to not realize your grief needs some attention.

Surprisingly, sometimes we don’t even realize we are grieving“.

The Covid Pandemic caused a huge number of unexpected losses and unexpected grief.   Many people lost family members, coworkers, and friends.   And there have been many “covert” losses that have created their own versions of grief, as well. The loss of normalcy, work, income, social contact, holiday rituals, entertainment,  shopping, doctor and self-care appointments, physical exercise, structure and routines has impacted everyone. On top of this, many non-covid related losses, like divorce or break ups,  magnified the normal grief that accompanies these big life changes.  

Here at Positive Energy Counseling Center, we see everything from a Holistic perspective.  We know that lingering feelings of grief can also lead to health issues such as high blood pressure, a suppressed immune system, emotional eating and inflammation.  And grief is not just limited to our private life-  our feelings can bleed into our work, relationships, finances, and spirituality.

Grief often feels like a roller coaster that has surprising twists and turns you don’t see coming.  Sometimes the things you expect to trigger you, like an anniversary or holiday, may not be as hard as you feared. But then a smell that reminds you of your loss may overwhelm you with terrible sadness. 

Or you will feel an oppressive anger or intense resent, not realizing these feelings are related to your grief because you feel so alone. 

You might feel fine one minute, and even think your fine, and then dissolve into tears over something “trivial”.   

Its important that you know that is all normal.  Your grief can be constant, intermittent, and even appear suddenly and unexpectedly.  And it will change over time.   Some clients report that anniversaries of their losses can even feel different.  One year they might feel at peace with the loss, and another year it might feel more panful or poignant. 

Regardless of what losses we’ve had and why we are grieving, it is important to know that we all grieve differently. Try not to judge yourself or others.  As overwhelming as  grieving can be, it is a normal and necessary process.
:

Use these holistic tips to help you process your grief and feel better

  • CONNECT (EVEN IF YOU DON’T WANT TO):  Grief has a funny way of isolating us.  We might feel like others don’t understand, we don’t feel like explaining ourselves, or socializing can feel draining and joyless.  Yet, isolating won’t allow your grief to integrate in a healthy way.   Try to reach out to at least one friend, family members or colleague. Pick someone you trust and share about your experience.  Confiding will help alleviate some of the burden.  Feel free to tell this person what you need:  “I just need to talk for a minute. I know you there is nothing you can say that will make it better.  I just need to be heard”  or “I don’t want to talk about the loss right now.  I want to just talk about regular things right now. I need a distraction.” 
  • ACKNOWLEGE YOUR FEELINGS TO DECREASE YOUR PAIN.  Did you know that labeling a feeling can decrease it’s intensity by half?!  It’s true!  Saying to yourself “I feel really sad today. I’m upset that I haven’t seen my family in months, and I feel bored and alone” is actually better for you than just letting all those feelings swirl around inside you.  Try not to deny your emotions as they come up.  Instead,  name your feelings and describe why you feel that way. Be patient with yourself-  don’t judge yourself by thinking “I should be over this. I should feel….”    Remember that grieving is a normal reaction to painful experiences, and that your reactions and emotions are exactly where they need to be.
  • AMP UP YOUR SELF-CARE WITH MINI-GOALS It’s amazing how grief can zap the energy right out of your self-care routine.  Your motivation to even eat regularly or drink a glass of water might be at an all time low- forget about going for a run or meditating!  And yet, your sleeping, eating, exercising, and spiritual practices are the most essential keys to starting to feel better.  To get started, make your goals absolutely tiny. Just pick one type of self-care that you are willing to improve and then come up with a mini-goal.  For example, if you want to start being able to sleep again at night, make it a mini-goal to not lay down in the afternoon to nap today. That mini-goal will help you feel more tired tonight, which can help you get back into a sleep routine that will naturally start alleviating your blues. Sleep is a natural healer of stress, anxiety, and depression.  

    Or maybe you would like to start exercising again, but you have NO energy for it. Create a mini-goal to take a 5 minute walk today. Just 5 minutes! Once you’re out there in the sun, you can choose to keep walking longer but you don’t have to.

We all grieve differently and there are holistic tools you can use feel better now, and cumulatively over time. It’s most important for anyone who is grieving to know that they are not alone. Here at Positive Energy Counseling Center, we have Advanced Holistic Counselors that specialize in grief, and we have an upcoming “Grief” group forming now (contact info@positivecounselingli.com for details). We would be honored to help you find respite, and show you the tools needed to heal. 


ELISA SCHNEBLE, LMSW, is a psychotherapist at Positive Energy Counseling Center. She earned her Master of Social Work degree – with a Specialization in Health – from Stony Brook University.  She is a Licensed Master Social Worker and holds additional certificates specializing in substance abuse, anger management and crisis management.

Elisa has extensive counseling experience providing solution-focused therapy to individuals, groups, and couples, utilizing various psychotherapeutic modalities.  In addition to her training with Beth Miller in Advanced Holistic Counseling, Elisa also uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Gestalt Therapy as her primary therapeutic modalities. 

Elisa’s empowering approach, active listening skills and positive empathy help clients uncover their inherent strengths and enable them to overcome barriers.  She leads with a compassionate, accepting, and loving approach towards all people and all issues. Having lived on three continents and fluent in five languages, Elisa recognizes the importance of cultural context and of the cultural identity of each client, and places special emphasis on being cognizant and respectful of their unique personal universe.

man in yellow protective suit

AFTER A YEAR OF CHRONIC COVID-STRESS, HOLISTIC TIPS TO FINALLY FEEL ENERGIZED AGAIN

March 2021 was the year anniversary of the beginning of a worldwide pandemic, and the END of “normalcy”.  The unpredictability and challenges of life with Covid lead to record high depression, anxiety, and grief.   Many people felt- and still feel-  a chronically low energy, hopelessness, loneliness, worry, fear, agitation and grief about losing the life they once knew.  I’ve been using some great Holistic tools with my clients at Positive Energy Counseling Center to relieve both Covid Fatigue and Covid Stress.

While life is not quite normal yet, there are some glimmers of hope that the world is becoming “safer”.   However,  I’ve noticed that many of my clients are still experiencing the same heightened state of covid-related stress and fatigue even though the pandemic is moving in a positive direction.

The truth is, we’ve become accustomed to a type of crisis thinking and crisis-feeling
for over a year. As ironic as it seems, we now need to start preparing for “non-crisis living”.
  

HERE’S 3 GREAT TIPS TO:
“PREPARE” FOR NORMALCY, FEEL ENERGIZED AGAIN, AND HONOR YOUR GROWTH

PLAN FOR FUTURE FUN:  Start planning activities and events that you hope to do during the warmer weather and after getting vaccinated (if that’s part of your plan).  Schedule dates and activities with friends and physically put them on your calendar. This will remind you that brighter days are on the Horizon will naturally connect you to hope and optimism.

DO A COUNTDOWN: If getting vaccinated is something you have been holding out for, add a daily countdown to your vaccination date on your refrigerator or in common area in your home. This will shift your focus to the end-in-sight and raise your positive feelings.

HAVE YOUR “FUTURE SELF” WRITE YOU A LETTER:  To help yourself process everything you experienced over the last year, sit down a write a letter from your future self to your present self.  Have your future -self tell the story of the pandemic to your present self, explaining all of the emotions, challenges, and lessons you experienced.  Have your future-self explain how you grew during those hard times.  This letter will give you a spiritual perspective into all of the growth you have had, and remind you of your ability to succeed during super-challenging events. 

As covid restrictions begin to lift, it’s essential that we realize that returning to normalcy does not mean returning to who you were before the pandemic.   You’ve transformed through Covid, just as everyone on the planet has.  You have been impacted by both the difficulties and the up-sides of a very intense and dramatic experience.  Even if you don’t realize it now, you are resilient, you are strong, and you have grown exponentially this year.  It helpful to realize that your “return to normalcy” could actually mean that your “new” normal life will be infused with all of the growth and strength you have made this year.

KIM CALLAHAN, LMSW, is a therapist at Positive Energy Counseling Center who earned her Master’s in Social Work from Adelphi University. In addition her training in Advanced Holistic Counseling with Beth Miller at Positive Energy Counseling Center, she utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Person-Centered and Trauma-Informed Therapies in her clinical work. She has a passion for helping others think creatively by finding solutions and opportunities that are outside of the box.  Kim has worked with diverse populations, empowering her clients to triumph over life transitions, trauma, self-esteem, self-worth, anxiety and grief.  She is experienced in counseling both young adults and adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, adjustment issues and relationship problems.

woman in white shirt showing frustration

TEENS HOMESCHOOLING? DO THESE 3 (HOLISTIC) THINGS TO PREVENT DEPRESSION AND FEEL HAPPIER AGAIN

(This article is for all of the homeschooling kids, tweens, teens, and college students out there. But if you’re the Mom or Dad: remember that your kids may seem better than they really are. Be sure to forward this article to your children and other parents)

If you are young and homeschooling because of Covid, we’ve got to talk.

First, how’s your “school year” going so far? I know you’re strong and you’ve adjusted really well.
You’re resilience has been really impressive.
But sometimes it’s probably hard to complete your school work or care about your classes. On some days you may not even want to shower, clean your room, or talk to anybody. You might not feel motivated to do much except play video games or sleep.

I get it. I help a lot of teens at Positive Energy Counseling Center, and they all tell me how stressful homeschooling can be. Even though a lot of kids tell me the prefer not having to go to school, they also also feel more lonely, depressed, anxious, and super bored!  

If this sounds like how you feel sometimes, guess what? You’re NORMAL
.  

This been a crazy year and you’ve had to deal with a lot of changes. And because a lot of these changes have been out of your control, there are some simple things YOU can to do that will help you feel a lot better right away.
(In fact, I tell most parents that their kids must do these things to prevent depression and anxiety).

IF YOU’RE COVID HOMESCHOOLING, HERE ARE MY TOP 3 TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU FEEL LIKE “YOU” AGAIN
(yes-they really work & are worth your time)

BREAK OUT OF THE BEDROOM!
Many of you like the peace and quiet of your bedroom, especially when you need to do school work.  And I know how annoying the rest of the house may be for you. Leaving your bedroom means you have to listen to your Dad on a LOUD work call and your brother having another tantrum.

Others of you may be dealing with TOO MUCH QUIET because you’re home alone. With your parents at work and your siblings at school, your empty house can feel kind of weird and lonely.

But here’s the deal-  you know it’s not good for you to be in your bedroom all day.  You can feel it.  Your energy is dropping.  You feel…bored,  isolated, or sad. You’re just not yourself. Sure, you love that you can play video games all day without your pesky parents limiting screen time, but you are also getting more numb and detached by staring at the screen all day.

It’s important for you to pay attention to how you feel and make some changes.  

So….when you have a free period or a break in your day, leave your bedroom and:
-Go hang out in another room for a few minutes.
-Go to the kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

Don’t eat any meals or snacks in your room.
-Eat with your family if they are home.
-Bonus points if you actually hang out with your family

(Hint for parents: you can make simple rules like “no eating in your room” for your child.
(Extra Hint for parent: when you child does leave their room, reinforce this by making it pleasant. If they are yelled at or are met with chores to do immediately, this may send them back to their room. Have structured time for chores instead so that they don’t hide in their room to avoid you.)

ACTUALLY TALK TO A LIVE HUMAN (OTHER THAN YOUR FAMILY)
When we spend a lot of time alone, the idea of talking to someone can seem exhausting. We can even start to feel like we’re a burden. Some kids even feel like they stress their parents out or annoy them.  

Attention!  Covid stresses everyone out, including your parents. Try not to take this too personally.  

Human beings are VERY social animals- we need social contact more than we realize, so:
-Call, facetime, or video at least one friend or family member a day.  
-Even if you don’t want to do this, even if you think you don’t “need” this, you do!
-If the idea of reaching out or making plans to chat with someone is too much, start by leaving a nice comment on a friend’s post on social media (or tag a friend in the comments of a post you want to share with them)


GO OUTSIDE TO FEEL BETTER INSIDE
It’s funny.  Have you ever noticed that when your energy is low, you don’t’ want to move?  You feel like such a blob.   But when you do finally move your body around, you feel so much better!

Here’s the deal-  you need to move your body everyday to prevent depression, anxiety, overeating, mounting anger, and moodiness.
-Exercise/move your body for at least 30 minutes everyday

-Go for a bike ride, take a walk with someone, run around the backyard, do an online WOD, jump rope, play a family game, shoot on net, shoot some hoops, play wii
-If you “can’t” find the energy to move your body, at least just go outdoors and get some fresh air. 
-Sit on your porch, or back deck, or in the yard (wherever your parents think is safe)
-Do your homework outside or take 5-minute breaks outdoors
-Take a breath, notice the trees or grass
, just chill
Sit in the sun for at least 20 mins so you get Vitamin D needed to prevent depression
-If you are unable to go outside, open up a window or the blinds and let some light in!

Cure Anxiety Down To The Core In The New Year: The 7 Layer Fix To Finally Have A Great Year

It’s January and you might be hoping that this year things will be different.  You’ve got your fingers crossed to feel good this year, to be stress-free, to be able to go with the flow, and love your life. Because even though you have a good life, maybe even great one, somehow anxiety gets the best of you anyway.

Most people who suffer from stress, worry, and anxiety have tried a few things to get relief: psychotherapy, medication, self-help books, meditation. Maybe you have even tried sex, sugar, alcohol, drugs, shopping, or exercise. The truth is, most of those things (both the healthy and not-so-healthy) will help relieve your stress to some degree but you need more than a temporary fix. This year is your year to feel good and to finally let go of the strange fear that has been siphoning the happy out of your day.

The deal is, to cure anxiety (and it’s friends “stress” and “worry”) you simply have to cure it on every layer of your being. If you have anxiety, it has woven itself into the fabric of your WHOLE being. That’s right, you need to reprogram all of the layers of you- not just change how you think (your mental layer) or learn to belly breath (your physical layer). After 20 years of treating anxiety, practicing as a psychotherapist, life coach, energy healer, spiritual counselor and devotee of science, I just had to put everything I knew in one place for people so I wrote this “ultimate modern therapy” program called The Soul Cure For Anxiety.  It reprograms anxiety by finding all the places it hides in your system and rewrites a new reality.  Here’s some tools from the program to help you right now:

THE 7 LAYER FIX TO CURE ANXIETY DOWN TO YOUR CORE

1)YOUR PHYSICAL LAYER: to reprogram this layer you need to practice the tools that re-wire your amp-ed up system. Learning to meditate to reduce your baseline anxiety level, belly breath to calm you down when you start spiraling during what I call a “Peak Incident”, use freezing cold water to stop and anxiety attack and master the 7 Non-Negotiables to have a stress-resistant body are imperative. The muscle memory of body must be reprogrammed to be at ease throughout the day so that it is natural to respond to life in a calm and collected way. Anxious people tend to be so afraid of their anxiety that their fear escalates their responses to triggers.

Try this tool out next time you feel stress or an anxiety attack coming on: Stop your body from moving. Freeze. If you can, lay down on the floor or on a couch and put your arms in an X over your chest. Take a nice deep belly breath. Now explain to yourself what is happening like this: “I am getting stressed. I am starting to get revved up and my heart is racing. My breath has gotten shallow.  This is adrenaline in my body.  That’s all it is.  This is just stress and nothing more.” And now talk yourself into how you want to feel: “I can breath, I take a deep breath. Everything is okay. All is well in my world. I will be fine as the adrenaline leaves my body.”

2) YOUR MENTAL LAYER: your mind has probably felt like your enemy for quite some time now. After all, it surely seems to concoct lots of things for you to ruminate about. Reprogramming this layer requires that you become the Observer who is in charge of letting go of thoughts and discard all of the anxious beliefs you have inherited. I literally teach people tons of mental tricks to guide the magnificent workshop of their mind to a happy place where it can benefit them. Try this one next time you find your thinking about something that causes you anxiety: observe the problem thought and decide to “change the channel”. Say to yourself “I am changing the channel of this thought and mentally turn the dial to something- anything- you like better. You can turn to a mental channel that has cute puppies, your favorite funny memory, a successful moment in time, roses and peonies, or angels. Yes, you might need to do this over and over. After all, you are reprogramming the mind until you are the one in charge (the way it’s supposed to be).

3) YOUR EMOTIONAL LAYER: When reprogramming the emotional layer, it’s interesting (and healing) to see how anxiety has actually served you. All behaviors- even the messy, annoying ones- have served us now or at some time. In this layer, we honor the old stuff we’ve been carrying around and then put it down. Anxiety has usually helped people stay safe (by not being authentic), enabled them to cope, or distracted them like the useful decoy it can be. I often see this with grief: people engaging in anxious thoughts about this or that to distract them from feeling some deep sadness. Here’s something to try: ask yourself what would you REALLY be feeling if you weren’t busy with worry or anxiety. OR ask yourself: what parts of authentic self am I not letting be exposed? Listen to the answer closely.

4) YOUR ENERGETIC LAYER: The deal is that we all have energy blocks. Energy flows perfectly until it gets jammed up in our energy bodies from life experiences. Anxiety is a major energy block and it causes energy gridlocks as well. We must must must deal with ourselves on a energetic level and move this energy. The good news is that it’s not terribly hard to do and if you use an energy healing method like “Tapping” or “EFT” you will relieve the anxiety in the moment and rewire your energy body reducing the likelihood of future episodes. Use this video to alleviate your fear with tapping. In addition, people need to learn and I teach people how to protect their own energy fields with techniques that acknowledge just how sponge-like most of us are.

5) YOUR BEHAVIORAL LAYER: Unwittingly, many of your behaviors are actually causing your anxiety. To rewire this layer, we need to rewire your avoidance and procrastination, get you unhooked from the overdose of EMFS from media, and help you say Yes and No to what you really need and who you really are. Try this out: Use my “Tipping Point Tool” and evaluate all things with this question- “Will saying yes to this (whatever you are making a decision about) truly add more joy to my life or will it add more stress?”  follow the advice of your answer, even if it does against your habits and norm.

6) YOUR SPIRITUAL LAYER: I really enjoy teaching people how anxiety is not an enemy, not a mystery, but actually a CALLING. That’s right: it’s a calling to your soul to align yourself with your highest self. Reprogramming this layer means becoming aware of your true essence as a being of love and light that is perfect- right here and now- as you are, and as you are growing. The love for the self is expanded to included the love of all perfectly imperfect beings. Sure it’s hard! Spirituality is not for the faint of heart. But this is how you transform anxiety into a way to connect in and up. Try this tool out: Ask yourself what judgmental, fear-based beliefs you have about yourself that need a dose of love. The answer, my friend, is how your anxiety is helping you to grow.

7) YOUR KARMIC LAYER: This layer can be confusing to some and can mess with their own personal beliefs systems, but the meat of the material is actually pretty simple. Your soul is seeking spiritual perfection or enlightenment, meaning that while you are hanging out on earth you are trying to be your highest- most “god-like” self. Trouble is, we carry the energy from this life and the past because energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. This is why your anxiety is actually a much bigger picture- it is not only a calling for you to become more “love” and “light” -like for your benefit now, but to also finally realize this truth for eternity.  I coined a phrase: “The Soul’s Eye View”.  Now ask yourself,  how are the issues that make me anxious trying to help my soul grow and change, for both my betterment and that of others (because we are all connected and helping one another grow)? This is what the Soul’s Eye shows us.

It’s pretty simple to see, because most interventions used in the past to help anxiety have often been too narrow, how and why little change has occurred for stressed, worried, and anxious people. In my 20 years of treating anxiety, I surely have seen what works…and what doesn’t.
If you would like to learn more about how I brought all of the tools together to heal each layer of the being check out THE SOUL CURE FOR ANXIETY: The Ultimate Modern Therapy To Be Calm, Cool, and Connected (no matter what happens in life) and sign-up to download your Free meditations.

It’s my mission to cure this world of anxiety- let’s do this together!

Wishing you a calm, cool, and connected year,

Beth Miller, LCSW, CEC

Beth Miller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, and spiritual counselor in Bayport, Long Island, New York USA.  She has one foot firmly planted on the earth while the other is exploring the spiritual mysteries of energy.  She works with individuals in person and via telephone, teaches workshops and groups, and has a lively YouTube channel in which she teaches tools to cure anxiety and get in the flow of life. She is the author of The Soul Cure For Anxiety: The Ultimate Modern Therapy To Be Calm, Cool, and Connected (no matter what happens in life), a program that delivers the most effective therapy treatment to the inbox of anyone and everyone who wants to radically change their stress, worry, and anxiety.

Download 5 FREE Guided Meditations TODAY! Click here to enter in your email address and start meditating!

The #1 Way To Feel Better About Anything

Feeling good is all about focus. When you feel stressed, worried, anxious, disappointed, low, disheartened, or any variation of “bad”, it’s pretty easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole and not know how to get out. The problem is that you mind has gotten focused on stuff that makes you feel bad and you have forgotten that there are other things you could put your focus on.

The number of items we have available to focus are (possibly) infinite. Every moment is like being at a huge outdoor flea market that spans for miles that has thousands of vendors, each with hundreds of items at their table. There is so much to see, so many things to pick up and turn over, things to consider buying and others to be dismissed.

When you are feeling happy, you have found items at the flea market of life that you like. You have wandered around and found a table that has the perfect little trinkets that make your heart sing and feed your senses. You ignored the tables with rubbish or old parts that didn’t appeal to you and for this you were rewarded with the bliss of having found just the thing you were looking for. You were selective. You did not go up to the tables with rubbish and think “This place has nothing but garbage for sale. This flea market is a waste of time. What a terrible day.” Instead, you stayed focused and wide eyed, keeping your intention on what you wanted and passing the items that that were ugly or broken.

Recently I was talking to a friend who felt she over indulged during the holidays. She was feeling low about all of the food and wine she consumed, and felt like it would be an uphill battle to undo the weight gain and bloating she incurred. I told her my number #1 trick for feeling happy and being able to make change easily:

KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE STRENGTHS OF ANY SITUATION.
I asked her: what good things have you done for your body over this time, even though you indulged in more food and wine than usual. She had a quick reply: “I drank my green shake every morning, I went to the gym most days, I ran around with the kids outdoors.” And, I asked, what good things happened over the holiday? “Oh, we had such a great time, we saw so many friends. It was our best holiday ever.”

I asked her to check in and see how she was feeling to which she replied “I actually feel much better! I feel like I DID do a lot of great things for my body and I feel like I had such a wonderful time over the holiday that it was perfect. I feel like I can get back on board really easily.”

She felt great and nothing at all had changed except her focus. She was counting the strengths in her situation instead of the deficits, focusing on everything she did well or good instead of where she wasn’t perfect. This not only changed the energy she has and how she feels about herself, but also made her more enthusiastic about being able to recover from the holidays and advance easily!

The number of items there are to think about are enormous. Our focus can be on war, flavors of iced tea, styles of cars made in 1969, the people who make us laugh, the most annoying aspects of our boss, the best book we every read, the worst betrayal of our lives, everything that’s wrong with our partner, our favorite birthday party, what to make for dinner, or who to send love energy to. They are all equal options, all for show at the flea market, ready for us to pay attention to and take them home. We have the choice about what items to bring into focus and what items to pass by, moving on to what fills our need. If we choose to always focus on the strengths of any situation, we are bound to veer towards the thoughts that will support us, encourage us, celebrate us, and inspire to keep becoming even stronger.

Beth Miller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, and spiritual counselor in Bayport, Long Island, New York USA.  She has one foot firmly planted on the earth while the other is exploring the spiritual mysteries of energy.  She works with individuals in person and via telephone, teaches workshops and groups, and has a lively YouTube channel in which she teaches tools to cure anxiety and get in the flow of life. She is the author of The Soul Cure For Anxiety: The Ultimate Modern Therapy To Be Calm, Cool, and Connected (no matter what happens in life), a program that delivers the most effective therapy treatment to the inbox of anyone and everyone who wants to radically change their stress, worry, and anxiety.

Would you like to receive 5 FREE Guided Meditations? Click here to enter in your email address and start meditating TODAY!

When Your Anxious Mind Is Like A Wild Horse: How To Sit Up and Take The Reigns

If you have anxiety, sometimes it can feel like your mind just takes off like a wild horse. This may leave you feeling like you are bouncing around on the saddle, just trying to get through the latest bumpy ride of panic, stress, or exhausting episode of life. Believing your mind is not in your control often leads to self-medicating (eating, drinking, sleeping), acting-out (crying, yelling, procrastination), more negative thinking, depressing ruminations, and being so “in your head” that you can’t enjoy the moment or be present. The thing is, anxiety makes you forget just how POWERFUL you are.  You need to learn how to sit up, take the reigns, and start steering that horse in the direction you want to go. Because after all, you are the master of your mind…and your own life.

Here are the top three steps you can take when you realize your mind has wandered off track and is busy thinking about stuff that isn’t going to serve you in any way:


1) Notice You Are Off Course:  
The first key here is to realize that you are thinking and feeling about things that make you feel bad and that aren’t leading to positive change or solutions. Take several deep belly breaths to reduce your adrenaline and make a choice.  Ask yourself “Do I want to feel bad or good?”  “Do I want to help this situation?”  If you answered in the affirmative, move on to step 2. If you aren’t sure you want to feel better, don’t judge yourself, but be okay with not feeling okay.  Remember, it’s a choice.


2) Recognize Your Power: 
The anxious mind is powerful, no doubt.  It’s often been reinforced by years of habits and neurological wiring that enables it to just hit “play” on the same old record, causing your feelings, thoughts, and body to all do the fear jig on cue.  But realizing that the mind works for you means that you can mentally hit the “stop” button on that tired old record.  Your anxiety is a part of you but is not actually you.  If you can notice it, you can take charge of it.  See it for what it is:  just a fear- based response to life that is acting out the same part it has many, many times before.

But you are the master, you are in charge, and you get to decide what you think about-  and what you don’t.  If you want to think about your 5 favorite kinds of flowers,  your funniest high school memory, or the most beautiful tree on your block you can.    If you want to think about the worst mistakes you made at work this week, why you will never get married, or the recent ways your friends let you down, you can think about that too.

What you focus on is all about choice.  But I know how tenacious the anxious mind is and how it will veer, over and over, down the tempting negative path.  Sometimes it will notice you’ve become lax about keeping your positive focus and will gallop off into the sunset with horrible ideas about you and your life. After all, it’s a creature of habit.  But you have the reigns and you need to be vigilant.  Sit up, pull them in closer to you, and steer yourself (over and over and over) back to the thoughts that feel better. That horse will get the message over time, that life is okay enough, good enough, and safe enough for you to actually enjoy the blessings you put your focus on.


3) Make It Easier On Yourself:
 It’s way simpler and more effective to steer the mind when you have slept enough, when you eat regularly and keep your blood sugars balanced (low blood sugars make you moody and feel a whole lot like adrenaline), when you don’t drink 5 cups of coffee (or at least drink mostly decaf and tons of water), when you take a walk everyday (or at least 4 days a week), and when do basic meditation or sit still and belly breathe.  The body will work with you if you set it up for success. Some people take GABA (to supplement the brain’s natural tranquilizer that is very low in people with anxiety) or Calmes Forte (a homeopathic medicine for anxiety) to help the body help the mind. Learn to belly breath (learn how with this teaching video) and use the energy healing method “Tapping” (try one of my Tapping videos ) to reduce fear in any moment. Practices like these help the mind work for you.
Here’s an EFT Sequence to use to open the heart and allow in miracles


Your mind can be re-trained but it needs support from the physical, energetic, and spiritual parts of you, too.
 If, after trying to control or guide your mind to think more positive, you have given up because it just doesn’t seem to work, don’t lose hope. It does and will change if you truly realize that you are in charge. Sit up and take those reigns time and time again, knowing you are reconditioning the beast that has been taking you for a ride.

Beth Miller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, and spiritual counselor Bayport, Long Island, New York USA.  She has one foot firmly planted on the earth while the other is exploring the spiritual mysteries of energy.  She works with individuals in person and via telephone, teaches workshops and groups, and has a lively YouTube channel in which she teaches tools to cure anxiety and get in the flow of life. She is the author of The Soul Cure For Anxiety: The Ultimate Modern Therapy To Be Calm, Cool, and Connected (no matter what happens in life), a program that delivers the most effective therapy treatment to the inbox of anyone and everyone who wants to radically change their stress, worry, and anxiety. In USA 631.327.0090

Just Say No To The New Normal: 6 Steps To Start A Revolution Against Stress, Worry and Anxiety

If you’re anything like me, you might be getting alarmed at our new emotional normal these days. You know how everyone worries, talks about stress, and is anxious in one way or another? Now, we know that stress has always existed for humans – after all, it’s the very stress hormone (adrenaline) we are blessed with that has enabled us to fight or flight throughout thousands of years to get to where we are today.

Unfortunately, we are overusing this stress response that was supposed to be used for survival purposes only as our everyday life experiences, such as traffic jams or frustrations at work spark a cascade of thoughts, emotions and chemical reactions that tell us we should tense up, breathe shallowly, have racing thoughts, and lose concentration. And even though we all know being stressed is a routine experience in our demanding lives, I’ve noticed that somehow being worried and anxious have also become part of the new and accepted normal as well.

In my psychotherapy, life coaching, and energy healing practice, I specialize (in part) in treating stress, worry, and anxiety so naturally I expect to spend my days teaching people the tools and making the shifts necessary to eradicate this unnecessary condition. In fact, it is a true blessing to witness the freedom they experience as they align with who they truly and end the suffering that stress, worry, and anxiety has caused in their lives.

But I’ve noticed the baseline of everyday anxiety has increased for the masses. If I think of the 15 closest people to me in life, I can easily give examples of how each one stresses, worries, or has anxiety that interferes with their happiness in life. Their levels of stress, worry, or anxiety (or what I call S.W.A) may not meet clinical proportions, but their lives would be greatly improved if they didn’t have to waste their precious life energy on the act of worrying, fretting, racing, pushing, ruminating, or generally feeling pressured or negative.

In other words, you no longer need to have a clinical diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder to lay awake at night with worry, think of the worst things that could happen, have inner dialogues battling your own ruminations and self doubt, race around like a chicken without a head, assume the worst about others or yourself, become overwhelmed by paperwork and to-do lists, not sit still until 10 pm, or avoid taking risks or feeling feelings because it could make you anxious. Or maybe the new normal is that many more people actually do meet the criteria for a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Either one is not okay.

Stress, worry, and anxiety are SO normal that the word “stress” in an article headlines actually get’s a big yawn from readers because it’s not new or sexy enough. “Stress” as a topic is pretty boring because lots of people simply endure it as if it is an expected bi-product of life, i.e. that it’s a price one has to pay to get other good things they want, is a badge of honor about how busy or successful they are, or is just a cultural norm that gets modeled and repeated over and over.

So I’m thinking we need a big, ol’ revolution! Today I am inviting- even inciting- you to put your foot down about the stress, worry, and anxiety in your life and say no to the new norm. Become a cultural revolutionary on the leading edge and take these steps to be…not normal!

Here’s How To Just Say No To The New Normal:

 1) Get mad about stress, worry, and anxiety and declare that you will not live this precious life in a state of stress and fear-based emotions. What a waste! Then replace the mad feeling with love for yourself and commit to living in a more harmonious way with yourself and your world.

2) Get busy learning new ways to shift your current habits to new ones. S.W.A. is very treatable and curable. There are tools and shifts that truly work. This means get a therapist, coach, self-help book, or group that is committed to helping you reduce your stress response behaviors and increase your joy quotient.

3) Learn to meditate. Seriously, it’s time. You’ve wanted to learn for years or people have told you to, so wait no longer. Meditation isn’t just for new-agers anymore. Everybody who feels happier is doing it and it’s more accessible than ever:
CLICK HERE to get these free guided meditations.

4) Slow and steady wins the race. Make changes, like writing in a gratitude journal everyday or grounding yourself with a daily walk, with commitment, consistency, and patience, Over time, it will make a measurable difference.

5) Shoot for 90%- You are probably not going to eliminate all of your S.W.A. and some of it has VERY useful benefits, so let’s aim for only being in a state of stress only 10% of everyday. The rest of the day will be met with a different way of life and heart.

6) Remember two important messages: This is YOUR LIFE and LOVE IS THE ANSWER. Everything else is just filler.