I was the type of person that used to worry too much about unfounded fears. I said I was… and I meant it. I used to worry about what others would say about my decisions, about my choices, about my family (daughters), about my health, my weight… Over time all these unnecessary worries take the joy of someone’s life, and for no reason we are torturing ourselves. COVID-19 is not unfounded, but I am using the same approaches I use for relaxation for this time. When we are anxious, we are not enjoying the present moment, and we become unappreciative of the the simple things in life. I became aware that there are different types of meditation, but I learned that mindfulness meditation helps us shift the attention we put into our thoughts (that causes our anxiety) to our breathing.
You only need to devote 20 minutes daily to this type of meditation. You can practice it by sitting in your recliner, in your bed, in your sofa, or in your yoga mat (for those who practice yoga). I know that I sound like a broken record, but we need to focus on the breathing and when our thoughts make us aware that we are putting our attention on them and not in the breathing, then it is critical to refocus on our breathing. You will feel changes in a matter of months. You will think more clearly, your attention will be in the present moment and you will begin enjoying life, with your renew self-confidence by putting your fears away.
Other techniques that shift my mindset and moods when under a stressful or painful situation are the repetition of certain mantras and the practice of daily gratitude. Gratitude from the lessons from an experience we see is not beneficial for us. The mantra “Everything works out for me” helps me conciliate my negative feelings towards a bad situation that eventually turns to be a blessing in disguise and the Hawaiian Hoponopono’s mantra “I’m sorry, please forgive me, I love you, thank you” repeated in my mind several times helps me return to love, inner peace and erase the data or memories attached to the pain.
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This reflection is a combination of new writing and recycling parts of my 2016 article from wordpress BLOG Calm and Mindful, LLC https://calmandmindfulblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/dealing-with-anxiety-with-mindfulness-my-story/