General Anxiety Disorders affects 4 million Americans, 2.8% of the population.
Women are twice as likely to be afflicted as men.
Does “it”, anxiety, fuel fatigue or does fatigue boost anxiety? Don’t know if I’ll ever know the answer to that question but here is a 5-Minute Journal technique to help you soothe the beast and feel better – lighter, happier, capable and more peaceful.
“Dump It NOW!” Journal Technique
Step One: Pick a consistent time of day or “trigger” activity to simply dump out your fears, annoyances and anxieties. For our purposes, how about NOW?!
Step Two: Just set a timer and let yourself rip for five minutes. Write about who or what is weighing you down. Name the worry that kept you awake last night or is taking up free space in your head right now. Maybe you just want to spew out a list of names or one-lines or topics and make it a general “anxiety dump”. Don’t worry about form, spelling or sentence structure. No one, not even you needs to read this.
You can journal on your computer, in a notebook or on a piece of paper. Do this anytime, anywhere except in your car while driving.
Step Three: After five minutes STOP and get back to your day. Don’t read or mull over what you wrote. Erase it, rip it up, get ‘er gone. Repeat as often as necessary to release and feel more relaxed. Hourly?! When I am really in the throes of anxiety, I may do this exercise four or five times during the day.
However you are feeling right now, you will get relief and find, as time goes on, that you’re stress will diminish and your general relaxation increase. Win. Win.
Is there a best time to dump? Yes. Now and anytime you feel that edge. You could also schedule sessions according to your day planner or activity trigger, after breakfast, before prayers and in between tasks. A perfect time to dump is always before going to sleep at night. Who wants to sleep with the enemy, literally?
This week’s newsletter shares another easy Re-Boot Technique, the “Do – Delegate – Delete – Delay” Journal Release Technique. If you are not yet registered, click here:
Cheers!
Viveca
P.S. Just for Today Prayer. If you are unfamiliar with this, you are in for a spiritual feast, click here:
P.S.S. Keep breathing. Did you get the newsletter with our 4-7-8 2-Minute Breath Break? If not, click here: http://adrenalfatiguebegone.com/boost-your-energy-with-a-2-minute-breath-break/
Wonderful tips, Viveca! I always say with anything you are trying to accomplish to take baby steps, and what you wrote is perfect. Better to get those things that are bothering you out of your head and onto paper then having it bounce around in your brain. Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome Rebbekah. We all have way toooo much in our heads. This exercise is so helpful – walks do it for me too. Cheers! Viveca