How to relieve anxiety without meds by “grounding” or “earthing”

Oct 11, 2019

The most important thing about anxiety is to understand what it truly is.

Anxiety is fear.
Anxiety is lack of control.
Anxiety is worry.
Anxiety is self created (most of the time).
Anxiety can be controlled.

There are different types of anxiety, so I encourage you to educate yourself on the signs and symptoms and type of anxiety that exist. You can visit https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety to get started.

Anxiety can be felt all over your body, if you do not gain control over your anxiety you can develop panic attacks and eventually a full on panic disorder.

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger. You may feel as if you are losing control. You may also have physical symptoms, such as

Fast heartbeat
Chest or stomach pain
Breathing difficulty
Weakness or dizziness
Sweating
Feeling hot or a cold chill
Tingly or numb hands

Panic attacks can happen anytime, anywhere, and without warning. One you experience one, you may live in fear of another attack and may avoid places that trigger you into an attack. For some people, fear takes over their lives and they cannot leave their homes and they become a prisoner to their disorder.

Panic disorders are more common in women than men. They usually start during adolescence. Stress is a huge trigger. People can resolve anxiety and almost abolish it, with proper treatment. Therapy can teach you how to recognize the triggers, develop coping skills and change your thinking patterns before they lead to panic. Medicines can also help but should be used as a last resort.

There are many different ways to manage anxiety. I wrote an article a few years ago for the Elephant Journal magazine which was really popular and helped a number of people – click here to read this amazing article!

Taken from this article I provide you with 5 proven techniques to cope with your anxiety without medicine by “grounding” or “earthing”.

Grounding is a technique that brings people back to the present moment when they are in the midst of chaos. Grounding skills can be helpful with managing feelings of intense anxiety and can help people regain their mental focus after a traumatic event or anxiety-induced state.

There are many proven ways to ground yourself. If you are in the midst of an anxiety attack and need to get “grounded,” you can start by counting backward, either in your mind or out loud; this is actually a mental distraction, and therefore, takes the focus off the anxiety.

Another wonderful and successful technique is to look around the room and name what you see: lamp, table, picture of my kids, five pens in a pencil holder, painting with a horse and a tree…whatever it is you see, call it out. This helps ground you in the present moment.

Some grounding techniques are actually referred to as “earthing”—and like the name suggests, you literally become one with the earth by putting your body in direct, uninterrupted contact with the earth. This exercise requires that your skin touch the soil, sand, water, or a conductive surface that is in contact with the earth.

This can be mean dipping your toes in the sand at the beach, walking in nature, going for a hike deep in the forest, swimming in a lake or the ocean, planting seeds (or replanting flowers) and digging in the dirt, or just walking through the grass barefoot. Earthing has a tremendous amount of health benefits—too many to mention in this article, so I empower you to google “earthing” and “grounding.”

Here’s a list of my favorite grounding activities (more than one involves earthing):

1. Walking or hiking.

Walking is the simplest and most effective way to reduce anxiety. Walking at an even pace has a very calming effect. It can evoke mindfulness, clear your head of rapidly cycling thoughts, and release stress. When walking (or hiking) in nature you will feel more relaxed during the walk. You can also take it one step further and meditate while you walk. Walks on the beach are amazingly therapeutic as well. The salt air and calming sound of the ocean is very grounding.

2. Yoga.

Specifically, Hatha yoga, which is the simplest form of asanas (yoga postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques) can be helpful. Yoga is the soul practice of the body, mind, and spirit—and it brings us to a state of mindfulness. This can be done at home, and we can practice for as short or as long a time as we desire. I recommend at least 15 minutes for session length, although 30 minutes is ideal.

3. Gardening.

Nothing connects you to the earth more than gardening. This is a fantastic example of earthing, as your hands are completely immersed in the soil. It’s such a peaceful and mindful art—and one that has so many benefits.

4. Journaling.

This keeps us in a state of mindfulness by helping to remove negative thoughts, as well as organizing those distracting, racing thoughts. Getting your thoughts and ideas down on paper will help you clear your mind and enable you to get to a peaceful state quickly. Organizing your thoughts also helps you to set (and ultimately obtain) goals in a more efficient way.

5. Arts/Crafts/Creativity.

Being creative by using your imagination and putting ideas into action is a very grounding activity that also has a beneficial and tangible outcome.

Whatever practice you choose, immerse yourself in it. Bask in the moment of the activity—and when you find that your mind starts to drift and your thoughts beginning to wander, bring yourself back to the moment.

Feel the earth as you put your hands in the dirt; walk across the grass, or stick your toes in the sand. To ground yourself even further, describe how it feels out loud . Describing it makes it feel extra real.

I love walking barefoot in the grass on a chilly summer morning after it has rained and the grass is wet with dew. The feeling is magical and reminds me of childhood. Remember being a child and running through the sprinkler? Wasn’t that magical?

Even as adults, we can create magical moments that make us feel like children again. We feel the wonderment, the joy, and the peace we felt as kids, when we were riding our bikes and the wind blew through our hair—or doing somersaults on a warm summer day with the sun beaming down on us. How about that moment when you take that first lick of an ice cream cone? Yumm.

Those moments are priceless.

We can have those now, as adults—we just need to create them. We live in a world of chaos and instant gratification, so it takes a commitment to ourselves to take a step back and slow things down, so we can enjoy every single moment—because right now is all we have.

So, I empower you to try at least one of these amazing techniques to help ground you and help you live in each moment as it comes. It isn’t easy…but over time, it will become easier.

Love and happiness always!

Avesha

Never let anyone own your soul

Sep 25, 2019

Your soul is yours, do not give it away.

It may seem like a simple statement, but it isn’t. In many circumstances we give our soul away to someone who doesn’t deserve it.

Whether its a relationship, family, a business partner, or a friend, sometimes we let someone own us and control us without even realizing it.

We lose ourselves, we become someone we don’t recognize. This happens, over time.

Until one day we open our eyes and ask ourselves, what happened, how did I get here and how do I change this.

My advice to you is….implement a reset. Take a break from the relationship, sit back and see how they respond, then create boundaries. No matter what, do not let anyone treat you in a way that does not feel good. Do not let anyone speak to you in a manner in which is not respectful or kind. Do not give anyone the power to make you feel less than.

I have posted many articles about self love and self care. This love is the key to setting your boundaries and feeling comfortable doing so. It is very hard to create boundaries when you don’t have the self worth or belief that you are worthy of amazing treatment.

Here is the thing…you are!

So browse through my many self love and self care articles if you need help with this and start your journey now. If you would like to set up one on one coaching to get you on the right track, contact us today at aveshaempower@gmail.com

Namaste!

Fitness Over Forty – get balanced

Jun 10, 2019

Hormones got you down?

Feeling like you are on a constant roller coaster?

PMS a thing for you?

Time to try a few things to get you balanced and in a good place, physically and emotionally.

I suffer terribly from PMS – or whatever they call it now. I know my body so well I can predict almost every symptom I am going to feel and when.

It all starts about 10 days before my period is due (although its always late, which I am now able to predict). My symptoms starts with agitation, then some anger, a whole lot of anxiety and then I finish it off with some weeping and sobbing 🙂 Sadly this is not something I can control, the emotions seem to just take over. However, the good news is that I recognize the onset and am able to work through most of these feelings and keep them at bay with the following:

Yoga, Pilates and Barre – mat exercises are literally a cure for PMS bloat and emotional rollercoaster rides. The floor exercises help to bring down inflammation. Belly breathing helps with the anxiety and getting the heart rate pumping with some low impact pilates and barre moves help to get the endorphins kicking. A good session over 20 minutes will bring immediate relief.
Change your diet – cutting back on alcohol, sugar and salt and adding more protein, fruits, and raw veggies can help prevent inflammation and of course…a morning smoothie is a fantastic way to start your day. Adding supplements such as a B Complex, Magnesium and EPO (evening primrose oil) can also reduce PMS symptoms.
Cardio – however you can – do it! Take a walk, bike ride, hike, jog or swim. Cardio gets the heart rate up and kick starts your metabolism as well as your endorphins which help combat the emotional rollercoaster feeling as well as the bloating and fatigue.
Get more sleep – as you start to hit peri-menopause your sleep cycle will starts to change and can even become erratic. It is important that our bodies get a restful nights sleep. Try meditation before bed. Implement a no screentime before bed rule (to avoid mental stimulation) and do not eat or drink anything after 7 pm to avoid your body having to metabolize. In addition, there are many good yoga sequences that help put your body in relaxed state which will prepare you for sleepy time.
Have sex – yep, its true, sex can help with bloating and cramping…look it up!
Reduce your stress – however you can, you must get a handle on your stress level. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Set realistic expectations of yourself and others and take time out of your schedule for YOU and only YOU every day!
Keep a journal which tracks your cycle – this will help you know what to expect and when. This is how you stay sane 🙂

I hope these tips are helpful to you as you navigate your journey to a more balanced life.

Contact me at aveshaempower@gmail.com if you would like to set up a coaching session.

Have some of your own tips on how to balance your life a bit? I would love to hear from you below 🙂

Think this info would be helpful to someone else, please share on your social media pages. Spread the word and maybe we will help someone else.

Fitness over Forty – fitness the right way

Jun 6, 2019

This fitness over forty blog is for anyone at any fitness level. The focus is not solely on physical fitness, but emotional fitness as well. Fitness or a healthy lifestyle is all inclusive…body, mind and spirit and soul. You can have a perfectly fit body but your mind could be a mess. The goal is to help people to obtain a balanced lifestyle.

Fitness starts with your mind!

Lets first start with a head to toe self evaluation of where you are today!

How do you feel, physically? are you tired, not at your desired weight, craving sweets or salty foods, don’t feel your best, clothes don’t fit?
Whats going on mentally? do you struggle with anxiety, lack of motivation or even depression?
How do you feel emotionally? are you balanced, do you feel like you have no control over your emotions, are you on an emotional roller coaster?
How are your hormones? up and down?
How balanced are you evaluate yourself – from 1-10 (1 being the lowest and 10 the highest)?

Once you have your answers send them to me ! I can get you started with a free consultation and start you on your journey to a healthy and more importantly a balanced lifestyle.

If you want to get started today contact me here.

PS: I have been working out to a new video “bikini booty workout” and its to die for. Visit it here on Do You Yoga: https://www.doyouyoga.com/sessions/kick-some-butt-workout/

How to move forward gracefully after a divorce

Nov 16, 2018

Divorce, and break-ups in general are very difficult to process and move on from. For many reasons, separating from someone we love leaves us feeling lost and desperate for answers. Many times we blame ourselves in hopes that if we take ownership of the breakup we can then fix it and not have to suffer with this pain any longer.

The pain can be so deep that it triggers other emotional issues inside us, ones that we thought we buried and would never see again. Sometimes break-ups are the Universes’ way of getting us to deal with our issues instead of filling voids and living the day to day as if these issues do not exist. That’s called denial.

Being divorced twice and losing both husbands in a similar and pretty traumatic way I realized the Universe was sending me a message…it was the same message both times and this time I listened.

Below are my simple tips of letting go and moving on after a divorce (or breakup):

Let yourself go through the stages of grief/loss – A divorce or breakup of a significant relationship is quite similar to a death. In order to move forward you must go through the stages of grief. The five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance and they are a critical part of the framework that makes up our learning to live without the one we lost. They help us to gain the tools we need to help us identify what we may be feeling, however there is no exact timeline when it comes to the healing process and you may bounce around from grief to anger and back to denial before you hit acceptance. Healing is not linear.
Accept that healing takes time – As I stated, there is no time table and healing is not linear. Just know, you are where you are meant to be, healing. The more difficult the relationship and break up the harder the hit is to your body, mind and soul. You need to be compassionate with yourself and accept that it can take years to recover and that is OK! Honor yourself and where you are at, at every moment.
Allow yourself time to heal – solo – Fix yourself and heal first before bringing someone else into your world otherwise you risk repeating the same patterns until you have learned the lesson you were meant to learn – the Universe is speaking to you so listen. The only way over it, is through it.
Do not fill voids by immediately trying to replace your ex – Believe it or not, you are not ready for a new relationship! By jumping in to a new relationship, you are trying to fill a void to escape from hurt, that never works, it delays the healing process and puts other people at risk for heartbreak.
Allow yourself to feel anger, fear and sorrow – These feelings are normal and are part of the healing process. Feel every feeling until you are numb to it. Stuffing your feelings does not work, facing them head on speeds up the healing process.
Fill your life with interests and activities – Now is the time to try something new (new hobby, take a class, start an exercise routine), make new friends, and start some Keystone Habits (see my blog on Improve your life with these simple Keystone Habits). This creates a full and satisfying life. Become a better version of yourself!
Make peace with your loss and try to forgive – If you focus too much on the loss and don’t let go of the story you will not get to acceptance and you will prolong the healing process. There is a lesson in all this, take the time to learn what it is.
Let go of the story – Yes it was traumatic – yes you are in pain – yes you miss him or her – but if you do not let go of the story and make peace with what happened and why it happened you will delay creating a new and better story, one that doesn’t involve a traumatic breakup. Learn the lesson and move forward.
Make time for yourself and figure out who you are as a person – I imagine you have spent a majority of time focused on your relationship and your significant other. Now it is time to focus on yourself and figure out who you are and what makes you tick. Fall in love with yourself!
If you want to find a happy, nurturing, compassionate relationship, look for those qualities inside yourself – Do you have those same qualities you are looking for in another person? Remember … you are holding up your mirror so be who you wish to meet! Its that simple.

Once you change your mindset from loss to opportunity, the healing process will be a much easier Journey to the next story of your new and wonderful life.

Namaste’

Please share this with others who you think will benefit from this article.

How to get a handle on your hormone imbalance

Nov 11, 2018

No two hormonal imbalances are the same.

However, a lot of the symptoms and timing of our reactions to our fluctuating hormones are similar so this is one of those situations that although our imbalances may not be exact, our bodies reactions to them are.

Symptoms can include (but are not limited to):

Anxiety
Sadness (simple or deep)
Starvation
Anger/Rage
Insomnia
Night sweats
Insecurity
Acne
Weight gain
Tummy and bowel issues
And of course irregular and/or painful periods
Some if not most of these symptoms can interfere with your every day life. In most cases, you may only experience these symptoms a few days to a week before your period. However some women experience them for longer and these symptoms are literally wreaking havoc on their lives.

There is no way, despite what you read on the internet, to get rid of a hormone imbalance completely. However, you can manage the symptoms by discovering what the imbalance is (hormone test with your OB or Naturopath) and implementing some really strict changes to your every day life.

Diet – you will need to limit your processed foods, cut down on your bad fats and add more “good” fats to your diet. fresh fruits and veggies, leafy greens, organic and grass fed meats and dairy without antibiotics and hormones.
Supplements – Evening Primrose Oil is a God send. Magnesium. A good complex B vitamin. Ginseng.
Change your beauty products – check out Dermastore for some good high quality products.
Collagen smoothie – coconut milk or water, green leafy vegetables, coconut yogurt, banana some peanut butter and you have yourself a very healthy morning snack.
Intermittent fasting – eat for 8 fast for 16 (example: no food consumption until 9am and no food after 5pm) find a fasting schedule that works for you.
Meditation – this helps with anxiety and monkey mind thinking,
Yoga – helps the body mind and spirit especially during this time.
Cardio – truly any cardio you do will make you feel better whether it is a walk, a run, dancing, power yoga, a cycle class. Cardio always makes a person feel their best.
Spending time in nature – go for a walk/hike, garden, drive through a forest, snow shoe, cross country ski, get out there. Nature is Gods medicine.
Take a hot bath with some essential oils and Epsom Salt – this will help ease any cramping you might be having and soothe your mind.
Talk to a doctor about medicine if you are not able to get a handle on things.
Journal – keep track of your feelings each month and you will start to see a pattern. So if you feel like you are going crazy, look back at your journal and remind yourself, this is your pattern.

It is important to understand you are not crazy nor are you alone. Women all around the world are experiencing some form of hormonal issues and it is important to understand why. Make an appointment with your doctor to rule out anything abnormal and discuss putting together a monthly care plan for you to manage your hormones and start feeling better.

If you would like to discuss this privately please Contact Us

Love light and happy hormones!

Avesha

Anxiety

Nov 3, 2018

– The only way over it, is through it! –

Anxiety is a fear based emotion and/or feeling. It is the feeling of a lack of control. However, it can exist only if we feed it.

We feed anxiety by either by living in the past and wishing for a different outcome or by trying to predict or control the events of our future.

On a very basic level anxiety is a lack of trust in ourselves and the Universe. A worry of what is to come. An inability to process and accept the past. It is the action of trying to prevent a certain outcome by driving it a certain way (not trusting the Universe). It is a lack of forgiveness of others and Self.

Anxiety = fear

The anecdote for fear is to trust Self and the Universe. We need to stop trying to control the outcome and allow the magic of the Universe to unfold. We spend so much time trying to steer the events of our lives and dictate where we think they should go, that we end up missing the magic of where it could lead us. We need to trust.

Anxiety will not subside on its own. We must resolve the underlying fear or trauma before the anxiety can start to dissipate.

We must dig deep and explore our past and present Self;
We must let go of what we are trying to forget (but can’t);
We must let go of what we fear to lose;
We must not try to run from it, hide from it, nor should we feed it or mask it and expect it to go away.

We must look at anxiety/fear as if we are holding on to a very short rope. Holding on to this rope is exhausting, draining and it is emotionally killing us. However, this fear of letting go of the rope has become our lifeline and a way to avoid the unknown.

Letting go of that rope IS scary, however, letting goes frees you and allows you to BE!

Be you
Be happy
Be free
Be strong
Be loved
Be content
Be empowered
Be still
Be safe

JUST BE!!!

How do you get rid of the anxiety?

Let go of the rope!

have faith – find your spirituality
create a blank slate/fresh start – the life of your dreams
live a clean life
exercise
do the right thing
don’t keep secrets
listen to and trust you intuition
surround yourself with happy people
do not run from your problems
stop self medicating
ask for help
see a counselor/coach/therapist
talk through your fears and issues
feel your feelings
confront childhood trauma
feel – cry – repeat
learn to trust yourself
figure out who YOU are
give up all vices (drugs, alcohol, food)
enjoy the moment for what it is
be in nature
journal your thoughts and feelings
express gratitude
fall in love (with yourself and others)
surround yourself with peace
remove physical and emotional clutter
remove those that are toxic from your life
create a self care routine

Sadly I spent most of my life (starting at a very young age) living in an anxious state. This is a horrible way to exist. It wasn’t until I worked through my childhood trauma, abandonment and fears that I started to notice the anxiety lessen until it eventually disappeared.

I also learned coping skills to help me work through those horribly anxious moments (triggers can cause deep anxiety). Gratefully I am able to reach into my tool belt to find the best tool to ward off the anxiety before it takes over.

Once we accept the concept that we, ourselves, actually feed the anxiety with our very own thoughts (and worry), we are able to work to change our mindset and start focusing on the positive. Another way to ward of anxiety is to get involved in something you enjoy so you are able to change your mindset before your mind starts taking over with negative thoughts (read Grounding exercises to ease anxiety and the stress of daily life).

If you would like more information on how to work through anxiety or would like to schedule a coaching appointment, please contact us Coaching

Love, light, laughter and peace