625: How to start your day with more peace

This week, on the Anxiety Slayer Podcast, we’re sharing loads of helpful strategies to start your day gently with more peace and spaciousness.

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANXIETY SLAYER PODCAST:
APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | PODBEAN | GOOGLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY I TUNEIN


Today’s Anxiety Slayer podcast is sponsored by Betterhelp

There is no question that when you are feeling good, you can experience a sense of being in the flow of life. But sometimes life can throw you a curve ball and you may find that you need extra support.

Having worked with Better Help in the past I felt heard and fully supported.

As the world’s largest therapy service, BetterHelp has matched 3 million people with professionally licensed and vetted therapists available 100% online. Plus, it’s affordable.

Just fill out a brief questionnaire to match with a therapist. If things aren’t clicking, you can easily switch to a new therapist anytime. It couldn’t be simpler.

No waiting rooms. No traffic. No endless searching for the right therapist.

Give it a try and see why over 3 million people have used BetterHelp online therapy.

Special offer for Anxiety Slayer listeners, get 10% off your first month at http://betterhelp.com/slayer


Notes from this week’s episode:

Protect your sleep - a good morning starts the night before

Good sleep supports our nervous system and mental wellbeing.

Try listening to a guided relaxation for sleep to release stress from the day and help you relax more deeply into sleep.

Wake gently

Use a wake up light of gentle alarm to ease into wakefulness and protect your nerves from being jolted awake. 

Establishing a consistent wake-up time can help regulate your body's internal clock and make it easier to wake up feeling refreshed.

Avoid looking at the news or social media: the news can add to stress and anxiety and social media can draw us in and give a sense of engagement without doing anything helpful.

If you are habituated to looking at your phone - have it set up with an audiobook, positive podcast, or guided practice to help you ease into your day.

Take a warm shower and use essential oils to wake your mind rather than caffeine.

Use positive affirmations to support your mind and outlook for the day.

Try some morning stretching, yoga, or Qigong.

Try and fit a few minutes walking into your morning. Moving lifts the energy of the mind and can help clear unwanted thoughts and improve your mood.

Pick just one or two of these suggestions - don’t try and do it all. Allowing an extra 15-20 minutes in the morning for mental self-care can make a big difference to your stress and anxiety levels during the day.

Have a healthy breakfast

Eating a nutritious breakfast can help fuel your body and mind for the day ahead.

Something warm and slow burning is ideal for a nourishing start to the day that won’t spike your blood sugar.

Reflect on something you want to do

Anxiety can pull us into a state of avoidance and objection. We get snagged in thinking about how we feel and how uncomfortable it is. Practice reflecting on something you want to do on the other side of an anxious morning.

For example: meeting a friend after work.

A relaxing evening with your family.

Reading a favorite book.

Doing something creative.

Feed your mind in the morning

As well as eating healthy food, it helps to nourish our minds too. Feed your mind with good reading, or audiobooks so it has something good to chew on through the day instead of going over worries.

Practice mindfulness: Take a few minutes to focus on your breath and be present in the moment. This can help clear your mind and start your day with a sense of calm.

Remember, what works for one person may not work for another. It's important to experiment and find the routines that work best for you.


Thanks for listening to Anxiety Slayer

If you love our podcast, please consider exploring our Patreon for loads of Anxiety Slayer Extras for calming anxiety including exclusive posts, guided meditations, Tapping sessions, popular episodes from our archives, and behind-the-scenes conversations. 

Anxiety Slayer