What do you do to calm yourself when you feel anxious?
I usually get anxious when a medical provider is taking my blood pressure. The fear of “failing” this test just makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy as my anxiety rises and with it, my blood pressure.
Telling myself to “calm down” just doesn’t work.
What I have found helpful is imagining the love of my pet at this time to lower my anxiety.
I might think about stroking my cat, Mr. Pickles. Or more recently, I think about my parrot kissing me and nuzzling me with his forehead. As I picture these experiences, I find myself relaxing. This meditative practice works wonders for me.
What do you do? Do you have a go to practice to help you find peace in the midst of an anxious situation?
*A version of this post ran previously.
Related
My grandchildren 😍
My little dog. He came to us last year after my brother and his wife died on the same day. He was left alone. I had promised my brother a few years earlier that if anything happened to him I would take his pup. I never though it would happen.
As hard as it was to lose them, that dog has helped me and my husband so much. Little loving sweetheart. He is a little Texan, now transplanted in Georgia.
We already had an outside feral cat we were feeding and taking care of, he watches over that cat as if she were his very own.