Tag: anxiety

a woman meditating outside, with a green and gold background and title stress, anxiety and meditation

Stress, anxiety, and meditation.

I wanted talk a little bit about something that affects most if not all of us- stress and anxiety.

More specifically, I want to talk about how it impacts our brains.

So if you aren’t aware, there has been a lot of research that has shown that chronic stress and anxiety can actually lead to shrinkage in certain areas of the brain, particularly the hippocampus. This is the part that largely responsible for things like memory and emotional regulation. This means that if we aren’t able to get our stress levels under control, it’s going to take a big toll on our overall well-being for sure.

You see, when we are experiencing stress, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol.

In small doses, cortisol can be helpful, like if you’re in danger and need to run. But when levels of cortisol stay elevated over time, it is actually dangerous because it can cause significant damage. Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels can actually shrink the hippocampus, which means that it is affecting our ability to learn and remember. It also disrupts the connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for things like decision-making and self-control.

So this means that you could end up in a vicious cycle where stress makes it harder to cope, leading to even more stress which makes it even harder, and so on.

If you find yourself suffering from long term or chronic stress and anxiety, there are some things you can do to help.

One thing I want to focus on in particular tonight is mediation.

The reason for this is that there have been studies which show that daily meditation can have big impacts on our brains too, but this time, the impact is a positive one. Daily meditation, even for just a few weeks, can actually increase the gray matter in the hippocampus, which improves memory and emotional regulation. Basically, the opposite of the stress. This also means you’re more able to be calm and have higher likelihood of happiness.

So not only does meditation help reduce stress, but it helps undo the negative effects of it too. Regular meditation actually enhances the prefrontal cortex, so you make better decisions, focus better, and have a lot more emotional resilience.

This sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?  But not only is it true, but it’s easy to get started!

You can start super small- aim for five minutes a day. Then gradually increase that time as it feels comfortable. You want to do this in a calm space where you won’t be disturbed- maybe that’s at home or outside or where ever feels best for you. And then focus on your breath.  You know, inhale deeply, hold, and exhale slowly. Your mind will probably wander which is totally normal. Just acknowledge it and then bring your focus back to your breath.  You can choose to just purely focus on breathing or listening to the sounds around you, or put on calming music. You could focus on a mantra, phrase, word or prayer that you just repeat over and over again, or another route would be guided meditations.

For this, there are sooo many options that you can find online which makes it super easy to get started. There are actually a few posted in this group. (Let me know if you’d like a tag.) I also have a collection of them in the shop on my website as well and I can absolutely share that link if you’re interested. I also offer customized hypnotherapy meditation recordings if there’s a specific emotion, fear, thought or situation that you’re struggling with. Just shoot me a message if interested in that.

But overall, you just want to be consistent.

You can do it every morning to start your morning off with a positive tone or every night to unwind. Whatever works best with your schedule. But just by dedicating a few minutes each day, you’re committing to develop a healthier brain. This improve our resilience to stress, and enhance our overall quality and happiness of your life.

So what do you say? Are you going to give it a shot?

Or if you’re already someone who meditates, I’d love for you to share your experience or thoughts about it as well!


And of course, a reminder that if you need a little extra support, I’m your girl. I offer one on one coaching as well as a free facebook community for support. You can check get more info by clicking the links. (And of course feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions!)

photo of a flower growing through rocks; green and gold background, choosing a mantra

Choosing a Mantra: Your Intentional Guide

If you’ve been following me for a while now, you probably that I have a huge love for mantras, affirmations, and anything along those lines. Today I wanted to talk a little more about choosing a mantra and why it’s so great to have if you’re healing from PTSD, dealing with anxiety, struggling to stay focused, etc. I went live in my facebook group last night talking about choosing a mantra so I thought it made sense to come write about it here as well.

What is a mantra?

To put it simply, a mantra is a word or phrase used to help adjust your mindset and cause a certain thought to take root. This way, it can act as a guide for your thoughts, emotions, feelings, actions and reactions. Mantras have been used for ages to calm your mind, reduce stress, promote healing and help us get from Point A to Point B. (I’ve found that they can be especially helpful when healing from PTSD.)

How can a mantra help me?

A mantra can help different people in different ways. But one of the most common ways is to help to quiet the mind and reduce anxiety. That makes this really great to have in your pocket during trigger moments! When you repeat a mantra, you are focusing your mind on a single thought, which can help to quiet the other thoughts that may be causing anxiety, stress or distraction.

A mantra can help to create a sense of safety and security. For example, someone with PTSD might feel like the world is a dangerous and unpredictable place. By repeating a mantra that creates a sense of safety and security, such as “I am safe” or “I am protected,” you can begin to shift your perception of the world and feel more grounded.  Similarly, someone who is feeling anxious might choose something like “I am capable” or “I can do this.”

A mantra can also help to promote healing. By repeating a mantra that promotes healing, such as “I am healing” or “I am getting better every day,” you can actually strengthen your belief in yourself and your ability to heal.

It’s important to make sure that whatever you choose feels right and powerful to you, so that it is easier to put your belief and energy behind it. The one I started with, that to be honest, I still return to when I’m feeling the need, is “Even though what happened happened, I will be okay because I am strong and I am healing.”  So mine was a longer one and that worked really well for me, but you need to figure out what works best for you because different types of mantras are going to work in different ways for different people. It can also change over time. For instance, right now, my current mantra is “slow down.” It’s a very personal process.

How to use a mantra:Once you have chosen your mantra, here are some possible ways to use it:

Set your intentions.

What is it that you want to achieve? What are your goals for the mantra? Is it more self-compassion or stronger boundaries, learning to say no or maybe learning to say yes depending on the situation? Less nightmares or more positive connections? You want to create an association between this intention and your mantra so that you can stay connected. So keep this intention in the back of your mind as you repeat the mantra to yourself.

Now, this is where you have some options.

One way of doing it is to just start repeating it to yourself.

You can say it out loud, in your head, or write it down. You can set a timer for ten minutes and just sit there repeating it or you can go a more relaxed route of just saying it throughout the day when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.

Visuals and journaling

Create a visual of your mantra and put it somewhere that you’ll see often. It can be simple- just words on paper. Or it can be fancy and beautifully designed- whatever motivates you to look at it and take note of it. Also try writing it out again and again each day in your journal. Even if you don’t go back and read your journal entries, for many people, the simple act of writing something can help it take route deeper in your mind.

(As I mentioned in my word of the year post last week, as well as in my live training last night, I can help you to create a completely custom journal for this process, burning your mantra right into the cover! Just reach out to me if you’re interested!

Brown leather journal with slow down burned into the cover and a black pen sitting on a marble background

Pay attention to the results

Once you’re repeating, writing, reading, hearing your mantra all the time, you want to make sure that you are paying attention to the way that you’re thinking and feeling. Notice how the mantra is effecting your life. Are you more focused and more present? Are you thinking more positively and strongly about yourself and the world around you? Making changes to be more in tune with who and where you want to be? Your mantra should be helping you to be more in touch with your goals and more in control of how you feel, act and react.

The right mantra is important.

Having a mantra can be super effective as long as you’re willing to do the work and make sure that you’re choosing the right one. Again, choose a mantra that resonates with you, set your intention, and then repeat repeat repeat.

If you need help creating the perfect mantra, you can either grab my free affirmations quiz or I have a training for that in my facebook group and I’d love to support you. Pop on over to get instant access, or shoot me a message for a direct link to the training. It’s a multi-part training that includes a lot of information about mantras, and I also guide you through two different methods of forming your perfect mantra. The goal is to leave the training with a mantra to try.

If you do create a mantra and give this a shot, feel free to come tell me how it’s working out for you because I would absolutely LOVE to hear all about it and help cheer you on.

 

 

Girl with dark hair, smiling, in front of trees, green and gold background, Megan Albrecht: An Empowered Voice

A Secret Way to Combat Depression- Guest post by Megan Albrecht

Hello everyone!  I’d like to introduce you to my friend Megan. Megan and I met when we both ended up in multiple sessions together during a women’s summit and realized we had a lot of common interests. Since then, we’ve been able to stay connected and I’ve learned so much from her! Not only is she brilliant, but also so brave, vulnerable and kind. I was absolutely thrilled when she showed interest in guest blogging, because I know everyone else could learn a lot from her as well. And so without further ado, here’s Megan’s guest post about fighting depression:

A Secret Way to Combat Depression

You are most likely aware of the foods to eat (or avoid), if you struggle with your mental health.  That’s becoming easy enough information to find online, thankfully.  I’m grateful for each and every tip when it comes to feeling my happiest.  I have battled Depression and Anxiety for most of my life.   One thing that I’ve found out lately, may come as a surprise to you.  It sure did, for me!  Not only does it matter what you put IN your body, it matters what you’re putting ON it, too.

I didn’t realize until lately that it takes less than 30 seconds for skincare products to be absorbed into the bloodstream.  Why is that important to know?  Because many different lotions, soaps, and makeup have ingredients that are very toxic.  When I first heard about toxins, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t too concerned.  I thought, so what if it causes Cancer?  Needless to say, I wasn’t in a healthy frame of mind.
The turning point for me came when I found a truly natural skincare company and swapped out the lotions and soaps I had been using for better options.  It was last Summer and I felt so happy and content for the first time in as long as I can remember.  I’ll tell you though, I didn’t make the connection at the time…

Slowly, I swapped other things out for our family.

Soon I found a better alternative to dish soap and laundry detergent.  After months of feeling really good for one of the first times in years, I ended up depressed and anxious again.  Why?  I realized after a few months that I had been using a cream on some pesky and persistent eczema that was filled with toxic ingredients!  This was dermatologist recommended, by the way.
The only way I realized, was when I quit using that and slowly began to feel more positive and upbeat again.  I was shocked!  No one had ever told me about the mood connection tied to skincare products…Not only that, but when I look for the information online now, I find next to nothing linking the two.

I realize that making swaps can feel daunting.

Especially if you’re already struggling with your mood.  It can almost feel like too much to worry about.  My recommendation is that when you’re ready to start swapping products out, do it one at a time.  When you are getting low on your body lotion, start looking for other healthier options.  I’d recommend starting to do research early so you have a new alternative well before running out of your old product.  If you need any help finding better products, I’m more than happy to help!
Find me on Instagram at Instagram.com/megan__albrecht

Here is a Cheat Sheet of ingredients you do NOT want in your products to get you started:

  • Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
  • Parabens
  • Fragrance
  • Mineral Oil
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Phthalates
  • Petrolatum
This list is not exhaustive, but a good starting point for you.  The easiest way to ensure products are truly safe is to know the ingredients listed and know WHAT exactly they each are.  You may want to look locally, first because many smaller companies use safer ingredients and are trying to get started!

I truly hope this information is empowering to you and you feel hopeful.

Because you should!  Once you begin this journey, it gets easier and you will feel happier.  I can almost guarantee it.  Safe and healthy healing to you!

  Megan Albrecht is a single mom and has recovered from Depression among other things. She helps women feel more confident, energetic, and happy through holistic mood support. She is fighting to bring an end to human trafficking.

Want to connect with Megan further? Find her here:

Interested in being featured as an Empowered Voice? Click here for more info.