3 Ways to Quickly Calm Anxiety In Public
You're Not Alone
We've all been in a situation where anxiety got the best of us as the least convenient time. Whether you were out in the grocery store and started panicking about funds, or you were at work when one strongly worded e-mail added the last bit of stress that you could bear --most of us can say we've experienced something like this at one point or another.
Whether tears well up in your eyes, your breathing gets shallow, or your chest gets tight, having symptoms of anxiety is straight up uncomfortable --especially in public. Nobody wants to feel that way, and nobody wants to be seen by others that way. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to calm yourself when anxiety rears its ugly head, no matter where you are.
1. Slow your breath
breathing has a huge impact on the way we feel moment-to-moment. In yoga, we call the breath "prana", which means "life force". To calm yourself using your breath, try breathing in for a slow count of five, and breathing out for a slow count of five (think Mississippi seconds.) Doing this for about ten cycles of breath should begin to give you a more calm and centered feeling.
2. Connect With Your Surroundings
Oftentimes anxiety is caused by things that are not even happening in the present moment. When you bring your awareness to the now, you can begin to remind yourself that you are safe, right here, right now, in the present moment. To quickly connect with your surroundings, mentally begin to name the colors of objects around you. i.e. "The sign is red, the apples are green, the shopping cart is silver". Continue doing this until your awareness is fully in the present moment.
3. Speak To Your Inner Child
If you've never heard of an Inner Child Meditation, this one can sound a bit outlandish, but I promise it works. Picture your 5-year-old self. How are they feeling? How are your speaking to them? What do they need? The child version of yourself still lives within you, and the way that you speak to him or her greatly impacts how you feel. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of negative self-talk, this can be a huge cause of anxiety. If you find yourself panicking in public, you can tune into your inner child and have a little pep-talk with them. Remind them that they're loved and that they're safe. Ask your inner child what they need, and really, really listen. I'd recommend trying an Inner Child Meditation in private before using this particular method in public.
Other Methods
Navigating anxiety can be a tricky thing, but I promise that your anxiety is not who you are. You are not your thoughts. You are not your feelings. You are what is witnessing the thoughts and/or feelings. When you remember that the anxiety is not who you are, you can immediately begin to regain your sense of inner peace.
