455: Tips for handling anticipatory anxiety
We're sharing our favorite tips for handling anticipatory anxiety. Listen in to learn about a Bach Flower remedy that's helpful for calming your nerves before an event, tips for calming stress by planning ahead and an acupressure point for calming a nervous or nauseous stomach.
Points covered in this episode:
Getting specific helps
Anticipatory anxiety can vary from person to person. Sometimes it can lean towards social anxiety, or performance nerves, but it’s very individual and it can be different for everyone.
What specifically do you zero in on?
For example, do you feel shy? Or worry that the event feels too overwhelming? Or do you worry you won’t fit in? Or you have nothing to say?
Getting your thoughts out of your head and onto the page will help you find some clarity and seek support for the specific areas that concern you.
Bach Flower Remedies for nerves before an event
There is a Bach Flower Remedy called mimulus which is very supportive for anticipatory anxiety. It is the recommended remedy for stage fright, or exam nerves, or any upcoming event. It supports us when we feel fear about something known, something upcoming in our lives and it can help with feeling more calm and trusting in your own strengths and abilities.
Tips for calming nausea and an upset stomach
Sipping ginger tea, or peppermint and fennel tea is helpful for an upset and nauseous stomach. Ayurveda, India’s ancient science of life, teaches that fennel is very settling to the stomach and can reduce stomach spasms and cramps, it has a unique action that helps the energy of the stomach stay in check and not rise up as it does in acid reflux, nausea or vomiting.
Fennel tea is available in most grocery, or health food stores, but it’s easy to make your own by steeping in a teaspoonful of fennel seeds in hot water.
An acupressure point for calming nausea Tapping the under the eye point in the EFT Tapping sequence is also helpful in calming anxiety related nausea.
Use the calm point before, and during, the event*
The calming point is a vital energy point found in the centre of the palm of the hand that has a direct calming effect on the heart.
FINDING AND USING THE CALMING POINT To find the point make a fist with your left hand and look for where your middle finger touches your palm. Now press that point with the thumb of your right hand for about a minute while you take deep steady breaths. Relax your jaw and let your shoulders drop and relax as you hold the point and keep taking slow deep breaths and focus on making your outgoing breath longer.
A good event starts the night before
Research directions Look up the venue Plan what to wear
Tips for the morning of the event
On the morning of the event, if you wake early with anxiety you can try a few of the things we’ve mentioned here.
Sit with the calming point for a few minutes when you first wake up.
Make some calming fennel and peppermint tea.
Tap through the EFT Tapping points, paying special attention to the under eye point for calming nausea.
Take some Bach Flowers Mimulus or Rescue Remedy before you set off for your event.
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