06/12/2024
In the second of my 3-part series on stress and anxiety, this edition deals with the toll stress takes on you mentally. Maybe you're dealing with some of these:
procrastination, high alert, indecision, loss of focus, memory loss, obsessive thoughts, pessimism and insomnia.
Procrastination / Avoidance Behaviour
Do you find yourself putting off tasks or avoiding situations that make you anxious? While this may seem like a relief, as you feel better being “off the hook”, procrastination is only a temporary fix.
The reality is that it adds to your stress and anxiety. You KNOW you are obliged to complete the task. Delaying it only adds what feels like more work (even though it isn’t) … and that leads to more stress.
If this sounds like you, let's explore strategies that address anxiety head-on, empowering you to face challenges with courage and confidence.
High Alert / Hyper vigilance
Feeling constantly “on edge” can be exhausting. Anxiety can lead to hyper vigilance, where you're perpetually on alert for danger. Your body is poised for action, your brain is not in thinking mode – you are in 100% reaction mode.
When you are on alert, whether the threat is real or perceived, the brain fires off chemicals into the brain and body, preparing for fast action (the fight or flight response). This is vital for your survival, however, if you are not truly under constant threat, being in a hyper vigilant state is like driving your car at high speeds continuously for hours without a break or maintenance. Eventually the car will break down and possibly become a write off. Don’t be like that car.
Learning to relax and assure the mind that it’s safe is key to reclaiming peace.
Indecision
Anxiety can make every choice seem daunting, making it hard to decide even on small things. You have brain fog, or you may feel confused. Maybe you’re experiencing the fear of making a mistake (fear of failure).
When you reduce your stress, you become more calm and able to think better. Free yourself from these fears with tools that boost confidence and clarity.
Loss of Concentration/Focus
Stress can scatter your thoughts, making concentration difficult. (You are probably now seeing a link between this and indecision, procrastination and hyper vigilance.)
Loss of Focus can become a vicious cycle accumulating into even greater stress and anxiety.
“What you focus on, grows. What you concentrate on is what you see more of in life.” – Robin Sharma.
If you’re losing focus, whether at work or at home, I can help you realign your thoughts and sharpen your mind.
Memory Problems
Have you ever finally returned to your desk, then forgot where you left off? Memory issues are not just for seniors. Stress and anxiety can affect your short-term memory, making it tough to keep track of details. Especially in today’s world, where you are bombarded constantly with messages and information to process.
A calm mind has amazing recall capabilities because memories are stored in the unconscious. It’s like your personal bottomless pit of storage.
Obsessive Thoughts
Can't stop the endless loop of 'what-ifs' and worst-case scenarios? Anxiety often traps you in a cycle of obsessive thoughts. The ‘what-ifs’ relate to future events that haven’t even happened yet.
You may also fall back on the ‘would-a’, ‘should-a’, ‘could-a’s too. These relate to past events you feel remorseful about, possibly adding guilt or shame to what you’re already feeling.
No wonder moving forward is so challenging.
Hypnotherapy can help break these cycles, allowing for a clearer, more peaceful state of mind. It also helps relieve hyper vigilance.
Pessimism
Caught in a cycle of negativity? Also referred to as a negative mindset, anxiety often paints your future with doubt. Imagine being able to ‘white-out’ negative thoughts and memories that led to negative thinking.
Everything that happens in your life, even negative things, contains a positive message. How good would it feel to bring the positive lessons you learned from the past forward into your future, leaving the negative feelings behind?
Hypnotherapy can help shift your perspective, opening the door to a more optimistic outlook and a brighter tomorrow.
Sleeplessness/Insomnia
Struggling to sleep? Anxiety often keeps you up at night, pondering the 'what ifs’ and ‘would-a’, ‘should-a’, ‘could-a’s. Even the physical exhaustion of stress makes it tough to sleep.
Hypnotherapy can guide you toward peacefulness at bedtime. You gently drift off to sleep as you let go of the day’s worries and embrace a night of restful sleep. You’ll wake up refreshed and energized the next day.
And if you would like to discover how to take control back, and experience better results and more freedom in your life, message me and let's talk.
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