How I Ease My Anxiety
For a long time I resisted the idea that I could have anxiety and I ignored it. But recently, a lot of those feelings came bubbling up and I knew I had to take control. Being fortunate enough to have access to some of the world's greatest healers and therapists through my career and my show “Better Together with Maria Menounos,” I have been able to work through some of those uncomfortable emotions, ones that we all deal with. But don't get me wrong, it is still a work in progress. Every day I am on the journey but I can feel myself improving and it feels great. So, I wanted to share some of the tools and techniques that have helped me ease my anxiety in hopes that it can bring you some relief as well.
How I Ease My Anxiety
MeditationI can't stress enough how much I used to dislike meditation. I would rather do just about anything than meditate but now, it's my favorite thing to do. That's because I finally found the right one for me. Dr Joe Dispenza's meditations have quite literally changed my life. I even dedicated an entire week on my show, Better Together with Maria Menounos, to share his work because it is that powerful. After taking his online course "The Formula," my anxiety was gone in 3 days. You heard me right! However I will say, I was diligent and consistent, I made sure to do his meditations daily and really concentrate during them.
If you haven't found a meditation that speaks to you yet, give "The Formula" a try. It may be the one for you! (You can find more of my favorite meditations here!)
To watch our episodes with Dr Joe, click the links below:
Yoga NidraBefore I discovered Dr Joe's meditations, I really enjoyed Yoga Nidra. The associate producer for my show also LOVES it and does it at least once a week. Yoga Nidra is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, typically induced by a guided meditation. It forces you to pause and dive deeper into both mental and physical relaxation, something a lot of us do not take the time to do. During these meditations you feel safe and you know you aren’t alone. Different from traditional meditation, Yoga Nidra uses guided meditation, pratyahara (‘withdrawal of the senses’), the breathing techniques of pranayama, and concentration-boosting dharana to unlock so many more benefits for the mind, body, and soul. Basically you are being guided to different parts of your body, focusing and relaxing your mind. It’s truly incredible and I always feel so rested after.
Yoga Nidra is great for someone who has a hard time just sitting and meditating to music, like me. My thoughts start to wander and I break concentration easily. But because this is guided, it forces you to really be present in the practice. And the best part? It can be a short as 20 minutes! This is what I used before Dr. Joe and I loved it, HOWEVER i highly recommend the formula because that eradicated the anxiety and this never did. This soothed me in moments and might be a great start for you BUT if you can do Dr Joe I would! His meditations also talk you through things so you’re never just sitting there alone with your thoughts.
Again, my faves are here :)
TherapyTherapy has been one of the most helpful tools in my anxiety journey. Specifically, somatic therapy. I started seeing somatic therapist Brian Mahan (who has been on the show a couple times!) and over the last year, we have been working through my past traumas, triggers, fears, etc. It connects your mind and body through psychotherapy & physical therapy practices and in doing so, helps release the trauma built-up in your body.
Gratitude Every morning, I sit with my dogs and we say what we are grateful for. This practice primes me for the day and helps me get started on the right foot. Genuinely feeling gratitude and acknowledging the amazing things in my life shifts my outlook to the "glass half full" mentality that we all strive for. It's easy to harp on the small annoyances of our daily lives but this gratitude list reminds me just how much we really have to be thankful for!
I truly hope that these practices help you find some relief. They've helped me a ton. If you try any of these out, let us know on Instagram!