Stop Trying to Calm Down

Has anyone ever told you to just calm down while you were anxious? Did it work?

It almost never does. You cannot force a shift in your state with willpower alone. Trying to be calm while your nervous system is activated usually just adds frustration on top of the anxiety.

What works better is using your body. A physical shift often changes how you feel faster than arguing with your thoughts. That is why the pep talk fails and a small change in what your body is doing can succeed.

It is a short episode, and I walk through the technique there rather than write it out here. Next time you notice anxiety building, skip the "calm down" and change something physical first. Then notice what changes.

Listen here: Stop Calming Down

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