If you haven’t noticed by watching TV or listening to the radio, there is a lot going on in the world to make you anxious. It’s a crazy world we’re living in. It seems everyone is telling you to panic because the world is falling apart. This is a great way to get ratings but not very helpful to actually solving any problems.nnI’ve always felt that the more relaxed and grounded you are, the better chance you have to actually do some good in the world. Like Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I think a great way to be the change, is to become the eye of the storm. Completely calm, with clear blue skies, while the storm blows around you. If you can handle life’s challenges with a calm mind, then you will find anxiety to be a thing of the past.nnSo, today I thought I’d give you some tips on how to remain calm in the midst of a storm.nn1. BreathnnPrana, chi, life force, it is all powered by the breath. Your breath is the source of your life. It is the most powerful tool you have for grounding yourself and quickly calming and quieting the mind. Here is one technique that I love:nnSit upright either on a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Gently close your eyes. Inhale to a count of 5, hold your breath for a count of 5, exhale for a count of 5. Repeat a minimum of 10 times. As you get better at this exercise, increase your count to 10, 15, or 20.nnAnother way to ground yourself in your breath is to place your hands just below your navel and take 9-10 deep relaxing breaths, breathing into your hands. Make sure to push your hands out on the inhale and contract your stomach on the exhale.nn2. Get CreativennYou have a great big brain in your head that loves to create systems that lead to a resolution or a solution. This is great for problem solving, but terrible when you’re feeling anxious or stressed out. When this process tries to solve emotional problems it creates what I call blender brain, with all of your thoughts and feelings churning around with no end in sight.nnWhen you get in touch with your creative side you can give this processor a break and allow your subconscious to start working on your emotions. Write, draw, paint, sing or even puzzles (Sudoku) can activate your creative, imaginative part of your mind and allow your heart to process the emotion. It is our right brain, or our creative, emotional side of our brain that is where we need to process. The left side, our logical and analytical side is better with more concrete problems.nn3. Make time for LaughternnLaughter is a great antidote to anxiety. It releases energy, produces endorphins and allows you to see events from a new perspective. When you find yourself imagining a future event that is unpleasant, laugh at yourself for imagining things that haven’t happened yet. As you’re laughing, say out loud, “That’s not true. That didn’t happen. I’m just imagining that.” This is a great way to interrupt an old pattern of worry.nnPractice laughing at your fears. As you look in the mirror recounting all of your troubles, laugh out loud while you talk. You’ll be amazed at how ridiculous it will all sound after a while.nnSee if there is a laughter yoga class in your area. If not, go online to get information about how to form a group in your area. Laughing with a group is one of the most therapeutic things we can do. Rent a funny movie or episodes of your favorite sitcom and laugh your way out of your stress.nnAnother way to process stress and anxiety is to check out our great hypnosis mp3 program, Relief From Anxiety, from Downloads for Change (
http://www.downloadsforchange.com). Not only does it include more helpful lifestyle action steps like the ones above, but it also gives your our awesome 8-track program for finally overcoming your anxiety and living confidently. nnYou can learn to overcome old patterns of fear and anxiety. So turn off the TV and tune into some fun and uplifting music on your radio. Listening to the fear mongers of the world does nothing more than get you to buy into their agenda of creating and disseminating fear and anxiety. Break free and begin to enjoy your life.