Coping with Anxiety and Panic during Uncertain Economic Times

Are you feeling anxiety, fear, or panic during these economic times? You are not alone. This particular financial episode is a major historical event. It is normal and natural that you feel some anxiety over it. It is actually a sign of health that you are not simply ignoring it or pretending it is not happening.

Are your anxiety and fear so strong, however, that you aren't functioning so well? Do you lie awake worrying about your dwindling investments, or the security of your job or business? Do you worry that your anxiety or lack of sleep are affecting the quality of your work? Or do you worry that it won't matter anyway, because nothing can be done to safeguard your livelihood?

What follows are a few tips to help you cope better with the anxiety. To help you get a perspective that may help you get through this without falling apart.

1. Consider changing your interpretation and reaction. Do you think, "My work and my money will run out before this is over, and I will end up on skid row"? How do you feel when you think this way? Does it help energize you, or deplete your creativity for finding a solution to the problem? Try this out and see how you feel: "I have been through worse things in life. I will certainly survive this one." Or, "I have lived through a few recessions, and have never ended up homeless. This is certainly something I can handle."

2. Consider limiting your exposure to the media. This is not to suggest you should bury your head in the sand. It is to say that we often become news junkies, and let our moods soar up or down depending on the latest report. The economy goes down for a long streak, seems to pick up for a day, then plummets again. Keep in mind that exciting and catastrophic news is what sells, and therefore the news is coming to us in pretty dramatic language. The excitement and drama are strongest on television.

3. Don't start or end your day with the latest news report. This will intefere with your getting a good night's rest, or on starting the day with a more positive outlook.

4. Take good care of your health. This is no time to slack off in the area of nutrition or moderate exercise. Taking care of your health also includes having some kind of stress management routine. If you do not know any basic relaxation skills, see some of my other posts on this blog, or visit my website http://www.2bstressfree.com to read my article on Three Simple Ways to Relax.

5. Avoid any rash decisions. It can be tempting to start moving your resources around in a panic mode. If your decision are based on the latest news report of a given day, it will not likely be coming from a calm place. Step back and get a perspective before making any major changes.

6. Get professional help if needed. If you are considering seeking counseling to help deal with the anxiety, don't let the fear of spending stop you. If your anxiety is affecting your ability to make decisions or take actions, ask yourself if getting help would be a luxury or a necessity.

7. Cultivate an optimistic attitude. Which attitude, optimistic or fatalistic, will most likely energize you and calm your fears? Which attitude will most impress customers, clients, or your boss? Which attitude will help you get through these uncertain times with the most going for you?

8. Look for the opportunity in this crisis. Within every crisis or adversity is the opportunity for something better to come about. Often when we are in crisis mode, we just haven't yet recognized the opportunity. Keep an open mind and keep this idea in mind as you go about your day.

I hope these tips have been helpful to you. It is my wish that you will be inspired in some small way to rise above the panic and anxiety so prevalent these days, and come through this challenge with something good for yourself.

Kate Boswell MFT is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey, Ca. She helps people to overcome anxiety and fear, and take steps toward the kind of life they want. She can be reached at (310) 658-3158 or http://www.2bstressfree.com

Coping with Anxiety: Walking for Relaxation

Walking can be a very calming and soothing way to cope with anxiety. When walking to soothe anxiety, it is best to walk slowly and peacefully. The idea is not to do a "get your heart pumping" fitness exercise, but to find peace of mind.

Nature images are very helpful for reducing anxiety and leading us to a calm and peaceful state. A walk on the beach is almost a universal stress soother. Walks on nature trails, through wetlands, canyons and woods also reduce anxiety.

Most of us don't have time to get to a natural area every time we want to lessen anxiety and feel peace. Most of us can, however, find a few minutes to walk daily, noticing and appreciating nature wherever we are.

My own calming routine includes daily walks through residential areas, and a weekly walk in a more natural setting. If you were to take a daily walk, noticing nature wherever you are, it just might become a pleasant habit, and you may find yourself spending a half hour to an hour at it most days.

While walking through a residential area, or even the city, notice the trees, birds, rosebushes and other flowers and plants. Even the ocassional dandelion or milk thistle weed growing through cracks in the sidewalk can conjure up images of being out in the wilderness.

On my daily walk, I let my mind go free, noticing and accepting sights and sounds that present themselves. There may be a loud car stereo playing, which I simply notice. Soon I pass by or it passes by, and I may notice a crow cawing or smaller birds chirping or singing. I have noticed crows effortlessly "falling" out of trees onto the ground. There is something peaceful about that for me.

On your walk, you will become aware of many peaceful images. I enjoy seeing the interplay of light and shadow. I enjoy feeling the warmth of the sun, and then the coolness of the shade, over and over again within one short walk.

You may notice the fragrance of a freshly mowed lawn, and then the smell of fresh manure, er, I mean fertilizer. Then you may pass a rosebush, or a planter full of rosemary, and stop to take in the scent.

Sometimes I see the wind gently blowing through the trees, and it seems as if they are enjoying the breeze caressing and cooling their green hair. Then I realize my own hair is being cooled and caressed by the breeze.

My hope is that my description of these enjoyable walks will encourage you to give it a try. That you will get out and experience a bit of nature, wherever you are. While walking slowly along, notice whatever you see, hear, feel or smell. Mentally describe it.

When your worries come to mind, just notice them too, and keep walking along, noticing the next thing. That way, your worries are just part of the overall picture, and at least for a short time, less consuming.

Peacefully,
Kate

Kate Boswell, MFT, is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey. She helps people cope with anxiety, life altering illness, and other stressful life situations. For more information, visit her website www.2bstressfree.com.

Anxiety and Stress Relief through Imagery of Nature

Often we can find anxiety and stress relief by taking a few minutes to imagine a peaceful scene. Have you been out in nature lately? Can you remember a particular place where you felt especially peaceful? Take a few minutes, right now, after reading this through, to sit back, relax, and imagine. If you are having trouble remembering or imagining, perhaps some of the descriptions below will serve as a cue.

Close your eyes. Be aware of your breathing. Notice how it slows down, and becomes more calm, as you observe it. Be aware of your body, and any places where you are holding tension. Gently, let the tension leave your body, one area at a time. Each time you exhale, let a little more tension leave with your breath.

Now let a beautiful nature scene come to mind. It could be a place you have been to, or a place you create right now in your imagination. Is it at the seashore? Or a peaceful shady forest? Let your imagination take you to a place that is serene, peaceful, and very safe.

Remember or imagine how it looks. What colors do you notice? What do you see besides the landscape? Is the sky blue, or tinged with white clouds, or maybe streaked with the many colors of sunrise or sunset? Are seabirds flying above? You might notice how they busily flap their wings to get started, and then just peacefully coast in the sky. Are there other people, maybe quietly walking or bicycling by?

What fragrances do you notice? The salt being carried on an ocean breeze? The fresh pine of a forest, or the uplifting, clean sage of a canyon? Perhaps even the coconut scent of suncsreen in the air? What other fragrances might you notice in your place of peace? Does the memory of a fragrance help you remember a place where you felt very peaceful and serene?

What sounds of peace do you hear? Do you hear birds calling or singing? The gentle splash of water on the rocks? Maybe you will hear the splash of birds diving for their dinner. If you are quiet enough, you might even hear the sounds of bicycle wheels turning, as they peacefully pass you by. You might hear a light breeze or even a strong and cleansing wind.

What physical sensations do you have? You may feel the warmth of the sun, or the coolness of the shade. Perhaps you sense the softness or hardness of where you are sitting or lying, in wet sand, or in a meadow. Perhaps you remember walking through cool, shady areas, and then back into warm, sunny areas.

Be aware of your your sense of taste. Can you taste the salt in the air? Are you at a clean, pristine lake, tasting the crystal fresh water? Are some fragrances permeating the air so strongly that you actually taste them? There is a wetlands and canyon plant known as Scotchbroom. Can you smell and taste the butterscotch in the air?

After spending some time in your nature scene, and feeling very peaceful and relaxed, gradually bring your attention back to your current place and time. You might want to bring your attention back to your breath, stretch a little, and gradually open your eyes.

You can do this exercise as a short break, or you can schedule in sesisons of twenty minutes once or twice a day to experience it more fully. Regular practice can help toward creating a more relaxed approach to life and it's challenges.

Of course, actually being in nature is very calming and a wonderful thing to do regularly. Is there an ocean, or wetlands, or other nature area you can find time to visit?

Kate

Kate Boswell, MFT, is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey. Learn more at her website http://www.2bstressfree.com/

If you or someone you know is struggling with a life changing medical diagnosis, see Kate's acoustic neuroma website http://www.aneuromacope.com/

Reducing Holiday Stress with a Grateful Heart

The Holiday Season is already upon us. It seems Halloween was just a week or two ago, and now it is almost Thanksgiving! Traditonally, right after the day of feasting with family of friends, the holiday shopping season is kicked off with the biggest shopping day of the year.

How is it that we go from a day of Thanksgiving to a month or so of frenzied shopping, entertaining, and over all busyness? Is there a way we can put the Thanks back into the season, starting with the traditonal day of Thanksgiving?

Having a feeling of gratitude is one of the best stress reducers there is. It can lead to a sense of peace and happiness. It can take us away from a sense of lack to a sense of having.

What if you are feeling resentful about disappointments, and can't think of anything to be grateful about? Start with the small things. Say, the way the sunlight filters in on a warm autumn day. Or the sound of a bird chirping. Or the fragrance of trees you walk under during a short walk. Little by little, you will notice more things to feel grateful for, and peace and gratitude will fill more of your day.

When you have an upcoming family or other social event to go to, it can feel stressful to remember some of the disappointments these events have led to in the past. You may even feel you can predict who will misbehave at the upcoming event, and how uncomfortable it will feel. Instead, you can simply expect and accept that things will not be perfect. Focus on some of the fun things that will be going on, and on some of the people you will feel genuinely happy to see. Feel grateful that you will be sharing time with them.

If you are hosting the get together, or if you will be bringing some food to share, it is all too easy to get caught up in the stress of planning, and overworking yourself to make things just right. Instead, try simplifying the meal and the tasks, and focus on anticipating a joyful time of sharing each other's company.

Gratitude is closely related to mindfulness. Mindfulness is an approach of being fully present in each moment. It is a peaceful feeling to focus on one thing at a time, rather than multitasking. By streamlining the amount of planning and work, you are free to fully enjoy the moment. You may spend an allotted amount of time baking, and really enjoy that you are just baking. You can be mindful of the aromas, the textures, the colors of the food you are preparing. You can be grateful for these moments of peaceful concentration.

Practice gratitude and mindfulness gradually during Thanksgiving. Make a committment to make this practice a part of your daily life, even just a little bit, through the holiday season. You will probably have a happier time, and may even take this new practice into the New Year with you.

Peace,
Kate

Out of the Ashes: Hope and Renewal (Turning Disaster into an Opportunity for Growth)

Just a few short weeks ago, in October, much of Southern California was up in flames. This disaster dominated the news, and understandably, people not living in this area had the idea it was all of Southern California.

There were quite a few areas not up in flames. I happen to live and work in one of those areas, which were not at high risk for fire. It was somewhat surrealistic, driving around in safe areas, hearing the car radio stories of widespread destruction. Even in the safe, unaffected areas, there was the smell of smoke, and the air quality felt like a high smog day. The air is what made the experience more real than surreal. It gave me reason to be grateful to not be in danger, and to feel bad for those who were.

My mind drifted to times in my life when I was close enough to other wildfires to see the flames in the distance. Then I found myself thinking of times in my life when something bad happened, only to eventually lead to something better.

One way to deal with stressful events is to develop a habit of looking at our misfortunes as openings toward new opportunities. A few years back, there was a fire in Altadena, which destroyed much of the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, one of my favorite hiking areas. When the canyon was reopened for hiking, myself and others expressed sadness at the destruction. One of the docents, who was leading the hike, said not to be sad about this, because there would be a large array of wildflowers blooming in the spring. He explained that the seeds to some plants cannot grow into anything, until a fire cracks them open. Well, anyway, this is my nonscientific rendition of how I remember the explanation.

How often do the seeds of our potential finally crack open and blossom, after what seems like a trial by fire? Sometimes we go through very trying times, with no sign of a light at the end of the tunnel. In retrospect, we may look back at these times, realizing that "oh, if that had not happened, I still would have been at.....(fill in the blanks here), and would not ever have ended up in .....(fill in these blanks too)."

Are you in a job or career which is more satisfying to you than one you started off in? Are you in a happy love relationship, which is a lot more satisfying than the one before ? Would you have found these situations, if your old job had not ended, or you old relationship not painfully ended?

In times of loss, it can feel very unkind for someone to say "when one door closes, another opens." At that time, what we really need and want is for people to express compassion and kindness toward us. But we can, in our own mind, remember other hurdles we have surmounted successfully. It is helpful to remember how we turned a loss into a gain. This can give us strength and hope, to turn a current loss into a gain.

I can give many examples from my own life, and the lives of clients I have worked with. Instead, I invite you, right now, to look back on your own life for examples. Write some of these down in a journal, and read it when you need sustenance.

Peace,
Kate

A Peaceful, Lucky, and Shady Summer Day on 7-7-07

Are you getting tired of trying to stay cool this summer, in air conditioned buildings or crowded beaches? Do you crave a shady, wooded glen, with cool breezes? Maybe your city has a botanical garden or arboretum you could visit. In the Los Angeles area, we have the Huntington Gardens in San Marino, and The Arboretum in Arcadia.

Today a friend and I wanted to for on a hike on a mountain trail, but realized it has just been too hot and it would be more work than pleasure. We opted for the Huntington Gardens, knowing we would find shade there. Our walk took us through some hot and sunny areas, in between shady and even breezy and cool areas. In fact, we were able to spend most of the time feeling pretty cool and refreshed. We walked among eucalyptus trees in the Australian section, and tall bamboo trees in the Bamboo forest. We also went through a Tropical Jungle area. We saw a large tree that stores water in it's trunk for droughts. Now that was a refreshing and cooling thought on a hot summer day.

While in the Japanese Garden, we saw people tying colorful streamers to bamboo trees. We learned that it was for an annual July 7 celebration. Today was even luckier than the usual July 7, because it happens to 7-7-07. We were told that the annual celebration at the Huntington is coordinated by a preschool that is connected with a Japanese cultural center. The children learn some of the Japanese traditions, and learn to speak Japanese. They were to give a singing performance later in the day, in their native costumes.

The luck was based on an ancient legend related to three constellations of stars. My simple summary of the story is that a lady who did beautiful weavings, and a young man who was a cowherd, were very much in love with one another. Their parents finally consented to their marriage. Because they were so in love, they spent too much time together, and neglected their work of weaving and cowherding. Their punishment was that they were to be separated. Out of compassion, however, they are allowed to see each other once a year, on July 7. On and around July 7 each year, you can see a triangle of stars in the sky, where the three constellations meet. Two of them are the lovers, who happily reunite for one day. That day is lucky for them, and celebrations are held in their honor. The luck is shared with everyone that day.

We joined the celebration by each writing a wish on a strip of paper, and tying it to one of the bamboo trees. My wish is for Prosperity through Right Livelihood. I extend this wish to all my fellow therapists, who strive to help make the world a happier place, by helping to heal hearts and minds, one person at a time. I extend this wish also to all people, who strive to make a living through ethical means, causing no harm to others. A special wish is in order for Brenda, who celebrated her birthday today. May we all prosper and continue to make a difference!

Our next stop was Brenart Cafe Gallery in Pasadena, to see the art exhibit of Keiko Nakagawa. Keiko is a fellow student in our Tai chi class. Her work is being shown this month at Brenart Cafe Gallery. The Brenart is a charming little cafe, where you can have a cold drink or something to eat, and enjoy the art display. Did I mention that it was pleasantly air conditioned too? Keiko's art was so very peaceful to look at. She does landscapes in oil and pastels. The names of the works themselves were a pleasure to read, and very peaceful to contemplate. A few examples are: A Peaceful Walk; A Lovely Day; Yellow Tree in the Sun; Peace; Harmony; Starfish Eating the Ocean; A Meeting of Trees; The Arboretum; An Italian Hillside. My apologies to Keiko for any mistakes on the accuracy of my memory of the titles. Why not go to Brenart Cafe Gallery and see them for yourself, if you are in the area? In addition to the actual paintings dispayed on the walls, they have a continuous slide show going on, where you can see the enlarged images. You can also visit her website at www.keikonakagawa.com.

Well, that was my day of peace, luck and shade on a hot summer day. It was peaceful to spend time with a good friend in nature, and to enjoy Keiko's paintings. It was lucky that we happenned upon the July 7 celebration, and to be reminded that today is a lucky day. And it was lucky and peaceful to spend so much time in the cool, breezy shade.

How about you? Are there places in your area where you can have peaceful interludes? For a day, or even an hour? Sometimes we forget to make the effort, or we think it is too hot to go out. Or we can get caught up in worries and stress and forget about simple ways to nurture ourselves. Why not make a list, right now, of places you can go to cool off and nurture yourself?

Peace,
Kate

Peaceful Walking

Have you ever taken a walk as a way to reduce stress and feel relaxed? I do, every day. I am not talking about speed walking, or trying to get your pulse up to a specific rate for your cardiovascular health. I am talking about a walk to relax. If you are lucky enough to live near the ocean, or a nature trail, you have the perfect place to clear your head and enjoy the marvels of nature. If you don't, you can still enjoy walking and nature wherever you are. Do you live on a tree lined street? Is there a residential area nearby, that is quiet and tree lined? If you work in the city, and can only walk at lunch time, you will still see birds flying, or sitting in trees. You may see a dandelion or other herb growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. Perhaps there is even a park or a walking trail nearby. Okay, let's get started. Are you wearing comfortable shoes which you can keep good balance in? If you have a medical condition, has your health practitioner approved walking as a form of exercise? If so, let's go. Walk slowly at first. Notice your surroundings as you walk by them. Is there a pretty rosebush? What color are the roses? Can you smell one as you walk by? Here in Southern California, the jacarandas are in their full glory, spilling their beautiful light purple flowers on the green lawns under them. What type of trees and plants are in your area? What types of birds are flying around? Can you hear them? As you walk, you may find yourself absorbed in thoughts about a problem you are trying to solve, or a rehash of something that happened earlier today. When you discover that this has happened, just remind yourself gently to look around you again and notice the sights that you are walking past. If the stressful thoughts continue, you might try replacing them with a mantra or affirmation. That will be the subject of another blog entry. For now, just think of something pleasant you can repeat silently to yourself, such as "Life is good" or "I am happy and prosperous." And notice your surroundings as you do so. Sometimes it may be okay to continue thinking of a problem you need to solve. You can do it in a way that it becomes "background," something that gets worked on in a peaceful manner while you concentrate on something more pleasant. So, as you concentrate on the pleasure of your walk, let your thoughts and worries come and go. They may roll in and out like an ocean wave, or fly through like that airplane you see flying overhead. And while that is happening, you repeatedly remember to enjoy your pleasant walk. This is what is meant by "taking things in stride." Wishing you a peaceful day! Kate