393 - 5 Tips To Turn Off Anxiety Fast

0:00If you struggle with anxiety from time to time, you are not alone. In fact, anxiety impacts over 40 million of us in the U.S. alone, myself included. That's over 19 % of the population. And get this, women are twice as likely to be affected. So in this video, I'm going to share five evidence-based tools that can help you feel better fast. I call this my 5S toolkit. Let's get into it. Tool number one, self-talk. So nine times out of 10, when a wave of anxiety hits me, I'm usually alone and out in public. It is not convenient. It is not fun. All of my senses get flooded and sometimes it feels really scary.

0:40Then the first thing that I do when that happens is I start talking to myself out loud. Now it's usually in a soft whisper, like barely under my breath, but I can hear it. And I just say a simple phrase again and again. So I say, Marie, you're okay. You're okay. You are okay. Marie, you are okay right now. You're going to be okay and you are okay. So I just say riffs on that simple little phrase, on that self-talk, on repeat until I can either get myself home or I can get into someplace quiet that's private. And on the rare occasions that I get an anxiety attack at home, I go straight to my bathroom, I close the door, I look in the mirror and I say those same phrases again and again to myself out loud.

1:30And I know that this might sound really silly, but for me, it works wonders. Turns out that there's research that shows that self-talk, when you do it in the third person, meaning you're saying your name to yourself, it can actually be a very effective method for emotional self-regulation that can reduce anxiety. So one suggestion for you to consider. Make sure that your self-talk is compassionate and encouraging. I like to think about it this way. When I get flooded with anxiety, I just instantly surrender to what I believe is my higher self, my divine self. I just allow her to take over and run the show.

2:11And her tone, her energy, it is always clear, it's calm, and it's certain. Tool number two is go for a stroll. So for me, this means taking a walk around my block, around my neighborhood, or maybe taking a walk down by the water. It doesn't matter what the weather is doing and don't matter what season it is. Often, I just need to get outside and move my body. I need to change my biochemistry and just give my mind something different to focus on. And the research backs this up. Did you know that a brisk walk can give you hours of relief, similar to taking an aspirin for a headache? I think that's pretty amazing.

2:50And while studies show that a one hour nature walk is really optimal when you want to calm down the amygdala, that's the part of our primitive brain that plays this major role in anxiety. In my experience, any amount of walking helps. So if you only got five minutes, if you only got 10 minutes, man, put on your shoes and go for that stroll. Tool number three, stillness. Did you know that in a clinical trial, meditation was as effective in treating anxiety as a Lexapro? That is frigging spectacular. And it doesn't matter whether you take medication or not, because meditation is a tool that belongs in your anxiety toolkit.

3:32And the reason why is because the frigging science is undeniable. You know, another study showed that just a few minutes of meditation every day can reduce anxiety by as much as 39%. That's for something that just takes a few minutes. It's completely free and you can do it anytime, anywhere. And look, when you're in the middle of an anxiety attack, I get it. You might be thinking to yourself, I am too anxious to sit and meditate right now. However, that's one of the most self-sabotaging thoughts that any of us can have. Because when we meditate, it's one of the most proven ways we can help ourselves stop feeling anxious fast.

4:13And here's what I think is so powerful. So when you sit and meditate, you literally emit different brain waves. You shift from high beta waves, which are associated with increased stress and anxiety, into alpha and sometimes even theta waves, which are shown to decrease anxiety. Stress got you spinning? Look, I get it. With everything going on in the world, plus all the daily demands of living, it can feel overwhelming, which is why I want to share with you a free five minute tool that'll help you slow down and focus on what really matters. You can download it for free now at marielovesyou.com slash stress log.

4:54This is a powerful little ritual that'll melt away your toxic stress fast. So go to marielovesyou.com slash stress log and get it now.

5:08Now, look, if you've had trouble with meditation in the past because you can't sit still or you never know if you're doing it right, I get it. That's why guided meditations are one of my favorite things to do. As somebody with ADHD, they really help me sit down and focus. And if you want some help getting started, I actually created a free 10 minute guided meditation so you and I can practice together. I'm going to link to it in the description below. Tool number four, support. So in other words, do not suffer alone. You know, for some of us, even admitting that we have anxiety or that we struggle with it from time to time, that alone can be tough because you don't want to appear weak and you don't want to look vulnerable.

5:50I get it. However, let me lovingly remind you of my life philosophy, which is this. Everything is figureoutable, including anxiety. And it's often way more figureoutable when we connect with others. Studies show that social support boosts oxytocin, which stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn, ding, ding, ding, can decrease anxiety. And getting support can look lots of different ways depending on what feels best for you. So for instance, if an anxiety attack comes on, maybe you want to send a quick text to a family member or a friend. See if they can just hop on the phone and talk with you for a few minutes.

6:28or even better yet, maybe go out and take a walk together, even if it's on FaceTime. Or you might consider joining a support group or working with a therapist or calling into a helpline or even reaching out to your doctor. No matter what you choose to do, do not suffer or struggle alone. There are literally millions of us that can relate. And I know you know this in your heart. All of us do better when we connect with others and we get support. Tool number five is sweat. So here's a really wild bit of research. Did you know that people with anxiety tend to be more sedentary and do less intense forms of physical activity, if any?

7:07And this is such terrible news because movement, meaning some form of physical exercise where you break a sweat, might be the single most powerful non-medical solution we have in treating and preventing anxiety. Now, how exactly does exercise help? Here's how. Increasing your heart rate changes your biochemistry. So you start producing super important anti-anxiety neurochemicals like serotonin, GABA, and brain-derived neurotropic factor, also known as BDNF. Moving your body lowers muscle tension, which helps you quickly feel less anxious. And exercise also activates your prefrontal cortex. So that's the executive thinking part of your brain.

7:50And it simultaneously quiets down the amygdala, which is that primitive part of the brain that plays a key role in feeling anxious. And look, science is cool. It's important, but you don't need a frigging research paper to know how good you feel after working up a sweat. And the best news is the type of exercise, it really doesn't matter. So just pick something you enjoy, whether it's lifting weights, one of my favorites. Maybe it's about doing yoga or Pilates or dance or running or swimming or even going for a bike ride. Exercising consistently, it is one of the best, most powerful things you can do to treat your anxiety.

8:27So whenever in doubt, sweat it out. And there you have it. The 5S Anxiety Toolkit. Each and every tool is evidence-based and best of all, you can use them anytime, anywhere. If you like this video, hit that like button and subscribe and make sure you download that free guided meditation. It is linked below. And if you want even more support, head over to MarieForleo.com, sign up to be an MF Insider. Every single week, I will send you short, inspiring, actionable emails that'll help you create a business and life you love. Until next time, stay on your game and keep going for your big dreams because the world really does need that very special gift that only you have.