COVID-19!
This is an unprecedented time in our history, as we face global disruption and uncertainty.
This is an unprecedented time in our history, as we face global disruption and uncertainty. The COVID-19 coronavirus is a very big unknown. It’s hard to predict when it’ll all be over, and whether it’ll get worse before it gets better, and its final impact. And because of that uncertainty the world is full of stressed and anxious people.
Our brain hates the uncertainty created by COVID-19
As far as our brain’s concerned uncertainty equals risk. And whenever we perceive ourselves to be at risk of harm, we experience anxiety.
And that anxiety just adds more stress to our existing stress level.
And it doesn’t help that we’re inundated by news about the virus, all day, every day. This non-stop torrent of information is overwhelming, and for many people, unsettling. It provides ample content for the Coronavirus disaster movies people are running in their heads.
And every disaster movie we run, creates even more anxiety.
Two of my favourite techniques for reducing stress and anxiety.
So today I thought I’d share with you two of my favourite techniques for reducing stress and anxiety whether or not their triggered by COVID-19. I like them, because they’re simple and quick to use, and they produce fast, reliable, effective results.
7/11 breathing
The first technique is my ‘go to’ technique whenever I’m feeling stressed and it’s called 7/11 breathing. This technique is guaranteed to switch off your Stress Response and turn on your Relaxation Response.
I’ve prepared a ‘how to,’ 7/11 breathing guide for you, which you can download by clicking here.
In this current environment I recommend that you set a reminder on your phone or PC to go off at 30 minute intervals. So every 30 minutes you stop and do 7/11 breathing, for at least 2 minutes. When you do this, by the end of the day you’ll notice the difference it’s made to how you feel.
Empowering questions
When it comes to anxiety, my ‘go to’ technique is to ask myself some empowering questions.
Questions are powerful, because it’s impossible for our mind not to respond to a question. The kind of questions we ask ourselves is important too, because questions direct our focus, and we always get more of what we focus on in life.
So right now you’re probably consciously, or subconsciously, asking yourself a lot of ‘What if …’ questions.
‘What if I get the virus?’
‘What if the schools close?’
‘What if I have to work from home?’
‘What if my employer can’t afford to keep me on?’ and so on.
‘What if?’ questions like these, are disempowering questions. They focus our mind on danger, risk, and negative outcomes, which in turn fuels our anxiety even more.
So rather than ask ourselves these disempowering questions we need to be asking ourselves empowering questions. Empowering questions focus our mind on the strengths and resources we have available to us, on our past successes, and on positive future outcomes.
They switch our attention from the scary mental movies we’ve been playing on our internal movie screen, onto positive, affirming, helpful thoughts and images. And as a result they can transform how we feel, in an instant.
To download my guide to Empowering Questions click here.
One more resource
And there’s one more resource I want to share with you today. It’s is a free 25 minute mini course called ‘Prepare Don’t Panic’ that my fellow YourLifeLiveIt coach Amanda Foo-Ryland created earlier this week, to help us understand and manage our anxiety in this time of uncertainty. Here’s the link to the course – https://bit.ly/38RldDO .
As I said at the start of this blog, thanks to COVID-19 the world is full of stressed and anxious people. And there will be many people who had never considered seeking help to relieve their stress and anxiety, but who now can see the benefits of having somebody to help them make it through this most testing of times.
And during this time of uncertainty, fear, and ‘social distancing’, I remain committed to using my skills and expertise in anxiety and stress management, to help as many people as I can.
With the introduction of social distancing, I’ve have to make some changes to how I deliver my services. I’ve recently contacted each of my up-coming appointments and have offered them the option of consultations via Zoom. I’ve been using Zoom successfully, for a number of years now when coaching my overseas clients.
So if you’re currently experiencing COVID-19 triggered uncomfortable, or distressing, levels of stress or anxiety, and you’d like to get those levels under control, now could be a good time to consider working with a coach.
And if you’d like to explore working with me, simply text or call me on 021 056 8389 or email tony@tycoaching.nz and we’ll tee up a time for a free 30 minute, no-obligation online consultation.
Until next week – stay safe, calm and well.
Tony
I’m on a mission to help as many people as possible enjoy lives free of unnecessary stress and anxiety. If you’d like my help, or you know someone who would benefit, call/text me today on 021 056 8389 or email tony@tycoaching.nz
