If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are feeling anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”
~ Lao Tzu
If you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed, then this article is for you. I have spent a lot of time listening to people, and if there is one thing that I know for sure, anxiety presents when people are not living in the present moment.
My great Aunt, who lived to be 104 years old, once told me,
” Why worry about things when most of them don’t happen.”
I mean, she lived to be 104 years old. Let’s listen to her! I carry this statement with me, and when I struggle and worry about something, I repeat this statement in my mind.
Having tools to help with anxiety has helped me when I am feeling overwhelmed, and this is one of my tools.
As a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in my clinical practice, I have seen a significant rise in people telling me they have anxiety. It is a bit of a blanket statement because anxiety can mean many different things depending on who you are and what you have going on mentally and physically in your life.
The clinical definition of anxiety from the American Psychological Association “is characterized by tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”
“People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. “
“In contrast, fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.” This is an interesting statement to me because SHORT-LIVED is the keyword, and in our modern-day lives, we are staying in a state of fear and anxiety and do not spend enough time in a state of peace and gratitude.
In Chinese Medicine, if you are feeling anxious and worried, it can cause an imbalance in the stomach and spleen energy system.
In contrast, calmness and peace support the Central Nervous System, spleen, and stomach.
This is why many people have digestive issues. They are always in a state of anxiety and worry, which taxes the spleen and stomach.
Our thoughts and our emotions are all energy. How we think affects how we feel and how our energy will flow. We can use ancient Chinese wisdom by becoming more aware of how our emotions impact our health and overall well-being.
Bringing awareness to our thoughts can help stop the continuous loop or story you are telling yourself. If you become aware of what you tell yourself, you can change it.
Many women in their 40’s come into my clinic telling me, over the past couple of years, they are becoming increasingly more anxious.
Usually, women are surprised to hear me tell them they are heading into peri-menopause.
My mission is to educate women and to give them the tools to help manage their menopause symptoms. Understand what it means to be in peri-menopause.
I am very passionate about normalizing menopause and helping women understand that menopause isn’t something they need to be ashamed of or think once they are in menopause, they are unf***ble.
It is an inevitable process for women, so why not try to have fun and embrace the changes.
Every woman is different, but I have noticed that anxiety is a common thing that women go through when in peri-menopause. The body is changing, and so are your priorities and responsibilities.
Women’s anxiety and anger in menopause aren’t talked about enough, and I feel women don’t have enough support or understanding of what they can do to feel better.
Here are some straightforward tips to help with anxiety
- Getting out in nature and walking amongst the trees
- Put on some relaxing music and dance.
- Think about something that makes you happy and feels good ex) your pet, kids, a beautiful place that you have travelled to
- Have a mantra you resonate with to calm your thoughts; mine is “this too shall pass.”
- Being grateful when you are grateful, there is no room for anxiety.
They all sound pretty simple; that is the point it doesn’t need to be complicated. We, as women, tend to overcomplicate things. Let us keep things simple!
If you like this post, also check out this one Finding Your Balance During Menopause
Here is a great book to help with anxiety The Power Of Now
