We all get anxious sometimes. It’s how we’re wired . . .
But you don’t want to make it the driving force in your life.
If you’re looking to reduce your anxiety, you can use the C.I.R.C.A. method. This method is taught by Dr. Srini Pillay, a Harvard Medical School educated brain scientist.
He has used it successfully with thousands of patients in his practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
What’s the one biggest thing you’re anxious about right now?
Get a piece of paper and write it down.
Chunking
This is the first “C” in C.I.R.C.A. Figure out what you can do about what’s making you anxious.
Then “chunk” it down into what you can do in the next 24 hours, the next 48 hours and the next week.
This will help you get an actionable plan in place to eliminate or reduce anxiety in your life.
Ignore Mental Chatter
It might seem too simple, but you need to ignore the mental self-talk that’s increasing your anxiety.
We know that paying too much attention to your child’s bad behavior makes that behavior increase. In the same way, paying too much attention to your mind’s “bad behavior” does the same thing.
Take a moment to change your focus to what you do want, rather than what you don’t want.
Most likely, whatever is causing anxiety is something you don’t want in your life. Or your mind.
Reality Check
Nothing lasts forever . . .
Realize that “This too shall pass.”
Whatever is causing you anxiety is only temporary. Know that in time, it will subside.
Let it go.
Control Check
What part of the anxiety provoking situation can you control?
Basically, this is the serenity prayer:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.“
Understand that there are things in life that you can’t control . . .
Don’t waste your time on trying to control them. Instead, direct your attention to what you can control.
Attention Shift
Start thinking about what you do want. What is the outcome that you truly desire?
Only by shifting your attention away from your anxiety producing thoughts can you leave them behind and get what you really want.
Conclusion
Anxiety is a very serious issue. Taking control of it using the C.I.R.C.A. Method is a fantastic way to reduce it, and even eliminate it completely from your life.
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​Hi, I'm Mary Anne . . .
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This is a guest blog post written by Rob Horsman, co-founder of CooperativeCapitalism.net. You can connect with him on Facebook.
[…] 5 Steps to Reduce Anxiety We all get anxious sometimes, but we don’t have to let it control our lives. Here are some simple exercises you can use to become less anxious. All of them can be started immediately and you can take control of your life again. ~ Linda-Ann Stewart […]