STRESS!!

It affects so many of us. Even though we now have many resources to lower stress, we are more impacted and affected than ever.

Many years ago, our caveman ancestors were living in survival mode, they were in high stress response much of the time.

Now, many years later, we are still living by the hormones of stress. There are many life stressors than can contribute to this such as life events, or a build up of factors. Read More “Six Top Stress Management Techniques”

Your amazing workforce are your biggest asset. Your staff are the nuts and bolts of what drives your business to success!

Do you look after staff like you look after your customers?

Businesses invest huge sums of money into their marketing, why not in staff? And I mean properly, not just ticking a box.

How does stress negatively impact on staff, business, productivity and turnover? Read More “How corporate stress management helps workforce”

What is Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) otherwise known as tapping is best likened to acupuncture without the needles. It’s an ancient Chinese acupressure therapy combined with a modern talking psychology. Meridian points are gently stimulated by light touch, while talking through the problem or issue that needs to be worked on. Read More “Tapping is Fantastic for Helping with Pain”

What is EFT Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) otherwise known as tapping is best likened to acupuncture without the needles. It’s an ancient Chinese acupressure therapy combined with a modern talking psychology. Meridian points are gently stimulated by light touch, while talking through the problem or issue that needs to be worked on. Read More “EFT Tapping is Fantastic for Helping with Food Cravings”

What is EFT Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) otherwise known as tapping is best likened to acupuncture without the needles. It’s an ancient Chinese acupressure therapy combined with a modern talking psychology. Meridian points are gently stimulated by light touch, while talking through the problem or issue that needs to be worked on. Read More “EFT Tapping is fantastic for helping let go of stress”

What is EFT Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) otherwise known as tapping is best likened to acupuncture without the needles. It’s an ancient Chinese acupressure therapy combined with a modern talking psychology. Meridian points are gently stimulated by light touch, while talking through the problem or issue that needs to be worked on. Read More “EFT Tapping is Fantastic for Helping with Anxiety”

What is Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), otherwise known as Tapping is best likened to acupuncture, without the needles. It’s an ancient Chinese acupressure therapy, combined with a modern talking psychology.
EFT involves gently tapping on certain acupressure points around the face and upper body, while talking through the issue to be resolved. This can be done with a licensed practitioner, or you can learn to use tapping for yourself, it’s an amazing self-help tool.

Tapping works with a range of issues including stress, anxiety, negative thought patterns, limiting beliefs, depression, trauma, PTSD and pain.

Where did it come from?

It has actually been around for many thousands of years, used by the ancient Chinese. It was innovated in more recent year by Gary Craig in America in the late 1980’s after he trained in Roger Callaghan’s Thought Field Therapy (TFT).

What does it do?

By tapping gently on certain meridian end points, while talking through the presenting issue, there is an energetic release. By tapping, we are able to free the mind and body from old programmes and patterns that are keeping us stuck.

Psychological and emotional issues are often connected to negative old emotions of the past. However they no longer serve us. Through the use of tapping, we can let them go.

Relieving emotional pain

Tapping works as an amazing stress reduction and stress management tool. There is much science behind this technique which shows us when we tap, we lower the stress hormone cortisol. This has been measured in numerous clinical trials.

Working on ingrained negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs, EFT works directly with the subconscious mind, allowing you to gently let go of limiting beliefs, which can often be the root to emotional pains.

The meridian points we tap on are all connected to organs within the body. Thus taping breaks the energetic connection which is keeping us stuck in the same patterns and unwanted behaviours.
Tapping reduces the stress hormone cortisol in the body which is done by calming down a part of the brain within the limbic system called the amygdala which is responsible for encoding negative emotions, including stress, anxiety and trauma. It is also the part of the brain that controls our stress response and emits those stress hormones.

What has this got to do with cavemen?

Think back to our caveman ancestors. They were in survival mode the entire time. They were constantly living by the hormones of stress. So on high alert, ready for danger.

Our bodies were very cleverly programmed in this way. So faced with a bear in the woods, we would be prepared for the dangerous situation and immediately go into ‘fight or flight’. We could either decide to fight, or run off in the opposite direction as quickly as possible; our stress response would be triggered. All the autonomic parts of the body would go into overdrive as a result, preparing us for danger in order to survive. The heart beats faster, pushing blood to the muscles, pulse rate and blood pressure go up, blood sugar and fats are released from temporary storage sites in the body.

The causes of stress and emotional pain

We are no longer generally in any real live danger zones. However, we are living in a world where stress is common place. So all the above physiological symptoms are triggered when we experience any type of stress.

We have numerous systems in place to supposedly support us in modern day society to do things quicker and easier, for example the Internet, cars, technology. However, we are still living by the hormones of stress. Any time we respond to any type of negative situation; a complaining boss, a traffic jam, watching the news: our body reacts for that short period by going into the same response. Repeated and continued exposure to such issues increase the stress response each time.

So although we are not generally faced with danger in modern society, our brains remain wired to create the same internal response. And this builds up. Through the day, the weeks, the months. Additionally, this is impacted in the same way by negative thought patterns linked to stress, anxiety and worry. Our body is flooded by stress hormones. This can lead to a wealth of both physical health and mental health complaints.

The good news: How tapping helps

Neural pathways wiring the brain aren’t fixed in place. We are constantly being shaped by experience. The brain is therefore seen as malleable, a term to describe this is ‘neuroplasticity’.
With every repetition of a thought or emotion, we reinforce a neural pathway. With each new thought, we begin to create a new way of being. These small changes, frequently enough repeated, lead to changes in how our brains work.

What tapping does is helps change these neural pathways. It does so by sending a new, calming signal to the amygdala. So, rather than holding onto the negative emotion, or belief that is linked to that emotion, we can let it go. So tapping allows us to let go the emotional connection, or ‘charge’ from a past negative experience.

In this way, it is an amazing technique at helping us let go of past trauma and works amazingly well for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which has been measured in numerous clinical trials. The event will remain in the memory. However tapping will help to let go of the negative emotional attachment to the memory. It does so by rewiring the neural pathways that have been firing and wiring, thus reinforcing the trauma.

We may have continued to re-experience the trauma through reactive behaviours such as nightmares. Or we may wish to repress or not wish to look at the trauma though unhelpful behaviours such as addiction or through physiological issues.

By using EFT, this helps us gently and effectively let go of the past, leading to positive and lasting change.
Tapping is increasing becoming much more widespread. Why? Because it is simple, effective and it works. It is increasingly being used in hospitals, addiction and substance abuse centres, veteran charities and prisons. Many are using tapping including sports athletes and mindset specialists. Jack Canfield, international motivational speaker and author of the best-selling book Chicken Soup for the Soul regularly teaches EFT at his seminars.

The evidence

In my many years of experience as an EFT practitioner, I see outstanding results time and time again. Clients who come to me with years of debilitating anxiety, clinical depression, trauma and PTSD to name but a few. They even often surprise themselves at how quickly and effectively this works. Something that looks so simple, yet is SO powerful.

There is also much scientific evidence that supports the efficacy and effectiveness of EFT. More and more studies revealing changing in genetic expression and MRI image, research I am proud to be part of.
If you’d like to know any more about tapping, and how it can help you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Join millions of others in making huge life change with this cutting edge technique.

If you’d like to know anymore, don’t hesitate to get in contact, where we can set up a free consultation to support you.

Janine x

Janine is the founder of Change for Success

She specialises in transforming mental health and mindset. Janine helps people create calm, clarity and focus, banishing stress, anxiety, worry and negative thinking. She also works with companies and organisations by helping them improve their performance and productivity by reducing stress in the workplace. She has a Masters’ degrees in Psychology, is a hypnotherapist, NLP and EFT practitioner. She is a published researcher, her expertise in this area is tapping, where she has helped hundreds transform their lives with this revolutionary technique. 

Want to understand why we experience an ‘inner critic’ and why we struggle to be in a positive mindset? Also, how can you change this? (Especially during present times when there is so much negativity and uncertainty around!)

I listened to a podcast which featured Exhart Tolle recently and it inspired me to write this article.

Much of what Exhart spoke about I resonated with and is often what I share with my clients when I am supporting them through periods of change to help get them to a place of positivity, happiness, inner peace and clarity.

There is one thing that each of my clients have in common when they come to see me.

There is something they want to change.

However change can be very difficult. Thats why we get stuck in the same routines, habits and negative behaviours for years.

More often than not, humans won’t change unless they are faced with obstacles and adversity. However, every challenge is an opportunity for ‘waking up’.

What do I mean by waking up?

Very often, when we are faced with a challenge, it can push you more into negativity, understandably. A challenge can make you more unconscious. When we fall into our unconscious, we go onto automatic. A response from our past, so we essentially go asleep. We go into what I like to call a load of BS. A Big Snooze!

This can also push you more into the part of your mind called the ego. Your ego is the part of your identity that you consider your “self”. When this happens, conflict with others can then become magnified and this can then make you more deeply entrenched.

On the other hand, a challenge can force you to become more conscious. Rather than go into reactive mode and become even more unhappy or depressed, you can utilise the adversity in a positive way and use it as an opportunity to become more conscious (either on a personal level, or as a collective).

More on awakening

The ego is a mind made of self-personal narratives and your own internal thoughts that you identify with. Many often refer to this as the ‘inner critic’.

The word ego actually comes from the story of Narcissus, which originates from ancient greek mythology. This story is told, it was before the invention of mirrors. Narcissus was out and about one day. As he walked past a lake, he looked into the water and saw his own reflection. The story goes he was so fascinated with his own reflection, he fell in love with himself. Or rather to put it another way, he became obsessed with his own image.

This story lends itself to the ego needing some kind of superiority. It compares itself to others and has to be seen as having a superior identity (It seeks superiority and feels validated as a result). This is all done as an unconscious process.

It however never feels fulfilled there is always an underlying sense of insufficiency. “I am not enough”

However, this is just associated with a narrative in your mind, so the ‘inner critic’ which is connected to our own self image, or rather lack of self esteem.

Animals do not have this, that is why they are so happy and in the moment! They are not still feeling negative about the past, or in a state of worry or anxiety about the future, for something that hasn’t happened yet. They are present.

The self is mental construct. It’s not really who you are. Rather, it’s a set of re-occurring thoughts. So not our own thoughts, thought we may have been programmed by. For example, through others, society, or the media. We are in essence conditioned by our thoughts.

The majority of thoughts are under the surface, so in your unconscious mind. We are therefore in the main unconscious of our thought process and are in the continual grip of them! We are ASLEEP!

Waking up means to recognise that you are not who you are. You are merely a representation of thoughts and emotions you pick up elsewhere. Everything you interpret you do through the conditioned mind, which is the ego. When you are faced with adversity, the negativity of the ego is magnified and makes you more reactive and creates more suffering. 

Awakening is realising you are not your thoughts that go through your mind. This is awareness!

You are not the content of your mind.

Waking up can be vital so we can be more in the present moment and experience it as it is rather than being over run by thoughts that aren’t even ours!

What can you do to practice being in the moment? i.e letting go of the past or not worrying about the future about something that hasn’t even happened yet?

The present, ie the now is the only place you can be, but we spend most of our lives in either the past or the future.

I will explore some strategies you can learn in my next article, be sure to watch out for it!

Janine x

Janine is founder of Change for Success.

She is an experienced hypnotherapist, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and NLP practitioner. She holds a Masters degree in Psychology, is a published author and is the host of Success Mindset TV.

She is based in Manchester in the UK and works with clients both nationally and internationally in person and online. She delivers private sessions, workshops, training and consultancy in the areas of mental health, mindset, stress management and resilience.

Contact her via the form below to book in for a FREE Consultation.

April 2008

I had experienced a string of bad relationships and my Dad had recently been diagnosed with cancer. It was the most unimaginably difficult time. As a family we all tried to support each other as we went through this extremely challenging time.

In the midst of all this, I met James. I fell for him straight away. He was charismatic, attractive, caring, funny and very attentive. It felt right, exactly what I needed during this very difficult time.

After a six month battle, we lost my Dad, aged just 61. I did everything I could to hold the family together. I was signed off work by my GP. I was working in the most stressful job, working with high risk offenders. I had excruciatingly high case loads and there was no wellbeing or psychological support. It was an extremely challenging job. My caseload was mainly men and consisted of drug dealers, murderers, lifers, sex offenders, violent offenders and domestic abuse offenders.

Very soon into the relationship with James, cracks began to show. What I thought was a loving, kind and caring person dissolved into someone who became abusive. The first time it happened I was in complete shock. He apologised profusely afterward and promised it would never happen again.

But then it did happen again, and it became more regular. I didn’t even realise or see it at the time (sounds completely nuts now). There was a lot of control, manipulation, psychological and emotional abuse. When you are experiencing a vulnerable time in your life and the abuser is telling you everything is either your fault, or the fault of situational factors, over and over again, over time you begin to believe it. Whenever James would become violent, abusive or aggressive in any way, he would always blame his anger on anything but him.

It would build up gradually at first. Then after any outbursts there would be an immediate apology. I’m so sorry he would say, I really don’t know what came over me, I promise it will never happen again, we are both under a lot of pressure (he was trying to get a new business off the ground).

These outbursts would become more and more frequent. I was in a very vulnerable position emotionally and psychologically, having just lost my Dad. I also took on the role of trying to keep the family in the best place I could both mentally and emotionally. My mum struggled hugely, she had lost the man she had been with since a teenager.

As the abuse continued on a regular basis, my confidence got eroded away, I became so low. I was on edge and constantly treading on egg shells. It was often easier to stay quiet to keep the peace, to stop any outbursts erupting. James kept promising that things would change. When we had kids, when we got married, when the business did well. The list went on, but ‘when we got married’ seemed to be the golden nugget. I kept hoping things would actually change as he continually promised.

We soon got engaged. Inside I was hoping and praying with this commitment that things would now definitely change. He must really ‘love’ me as we have made this commitment to each other.

The following year we got married. There were constant dramas and outbursts leading up to the wedding. I kept this continual hope within me that things would change when we got married, after all thats what James kept promising. We were making this life commitment. Surely then, he also wouldn’t keep accusing me of having affairs and flirting with other men. Marriage would surely show our commitment to each other.

The wedding days itself was amazing. I organised it all, so it definitely was! We had a big white wedding in a huge church that my Dad used to go to. All our friends and family were there. It was the best day. James was on top form, he kept saying how amazing I looked and he was so happy and gregarious, loving being with all our friends and family on our special day. He gave the most amazing speech, gushing about me and how happy that I was now his wife. It felt so special. Yes! He has changed, things can only get better from here!

We then went to a very romantic Italy for our honeymoon. It was breathtaking, we were having the best time, I felt so happy, James really did seem like a different person, the one he had promised to be all along.

Three days into the honeymoon James started an argument. Before I knew it, he was calling me all the names under the sun, shouting and swearing at the top of his voice, accusing me of having an affair with one of my co-workers who had been at the wedding.

My stomach was in my mouth and I felt physically sick. We were straight back to square one. Nothing had changed.

Once we got back to the UK, things carried on the way they had been. I was hardly sleeping, I was constantly emotional, crying and upset and my energy levels would deteriorate to an all time low. I felt anxious all the time and my mood was so low. Any confidence I did have was being eroded away on a daily basis. At the age of 35, I felt and looked like a shadow of my former self. I looked worn out and old, about fifteen years older then I actually was.

Because I felt like a complete failure, I kept everything to myself. I didn’t want to share with others that I had failed, that my marriage was a sham and that I was being treated like something you would find on your shoe.

The irony of the situation was that although I worked with domestic abuse offenders within my client group, teaching them about different types of abuse, and how victims were affected, I couldn’t actually see that I was in this type of relationship. After yet another night without sleep, I dragged myself into work. I began to fill out one of the forms I used to give my domestic abuse offenders to help them come to terms with their offences. As I completed the form, I came to the dreaded realisation that this was actually happening to me.

A big part of me couldn’t believe it, but deep down, I knew. In some strange way it was a sense of relief.

I knew I had to get out of this relationship. I couldn’t carry on like this, enough was enough.

I tried to leave on several occasions. However James would make it extremely difficult every time. He would beg me to stay, would get extremely upset and at times show glimmers of hope that he accepted some responsibility. He would say it would never happen again, profusely apologising, promising he would get help. He’d present as very vulnerable, like a little boy lost. I would fall for it every time, it was so convincing.

Several attempts later, I did finally manage to leave. Had I really left though? No, not really. I was 40 minutes down the road at my Mums house. James kept messaging, calling and turning up.

The most high risk time for someone to be abused is when they try to leave a domestic abuse relationship. This is when the abuser is loosing control. This and manipulation are integral parts to an abusive relationship.

Two women in the UK alone each week are killed as a result of domestic abuse relationships.

Throughout this time, I was managing to hold down the most demanding, stressful job. I would at times joke to a close friend saying I had a high case load of 70 offenders, add another to the mix when I got home, totalling 71.

What should have been my downtime after a long day in a very stressful environment was actually high chaotic and anxiety provoking. Most of the time I didn’t know what I would be walking into. Hoping that James had a good day, walking through the front door was often like walking in a big dark misty cloud of dread, fear, tension and anxiety.

So when I finally did manage to leave, there was a small sense of relief, but one that was short lived, given James was in constant contact, begging me to come back convincing me he had changed. He started to become very charming again, trying to get into my good books making all these suggestions about the grand ways in which he was changing his life and that he wanted to be a better person.

A friend who I confided in advised me to book in to see a highly recommended therapist. I was of the view I could cope on my own and I also felt like there was a lot of stigma around going to see a therapist. I’m an independent strong female, why do I need to go and see some bloke to talk about my problems? I was thinking, isn’t it only people with bad mental health problems that see therapists? Nevertheless my friend convinced me and even though I felt really scared and anxious, I booked an appointment.

The day of the session arrived. I had a typical manic and super stressful day in work dealing with very difficult cases. This included a paedophile I had very demanding hour long sessions with. I was feeling so stressed, everything was completely getting on top of me.

After days of being very charming and convincing me he had changed, James phoned me. He was shouting and screaming saying he was at my mums house and that he was going to take my dog. I went into a blind panic and ran into the toilets crying, my worst ever nightmare was coming true. My dog had been by my side through everything. I knew I had to call to the police, even though I didn’t want to. Just as I was about to, James messaged me to say that it was all an idle threat like usual like many previous times he had threatened me.

I was wholeheartedly exhausted. As I left work I looked at the building with thoughts running through my mind that I would never be able to face the place again.

I couldn’t face my life I couldn’t face anything. I didn’t know which way to turn.

I cried uncontrollably all the way to the therapists, a mixture of dread and anxiety consumed me.

I didn’t want to go, I wanted to hide from the world.

As soon as I arrived and this gentle man greeted me with the most calming and friendly face, all my nerves started to dissipate. I felt immediately at ease and remembered what my friend had said. I knew instantly I could trust this man.

For the next two hours I poured my heart out and cried, a lot. By the end of the session I started to feel better.

What was to follow was a conversation we had that would completely change the direction of my life.

It was as if a light bulb had gone off in my head. I had this sudden realisation that none of this was my fault. Not one single thing. And that this all went back to old beliefs about myself around my own lack of confidence and self-worth. Deep down, I subconsciously didn’t think I deserved any better than this. However, consciously of course I knew I did. I needed to do was to do some work on myself to create the balance and alignment. To create self worth and confidence again. It was simply old garbage (beliefs) I had been holding onto. I suddenly felt this surge of inner strength that I hadn’t felt before, it was amazing. I couldn’t wait for the next session to make lots of changes and start a path of self discovery and learning that I had never experienced before.

A day later I went to my GP. I needed support. I was adamant I did not want any medication. And I needed to get as far away as I could, as soon as possible. My doctor signed me off work for four weeks. That very same day I booked a flight to Bangkok and two nights in a 5* hotel. I didn’t know where I was going from there. I just knew I needed to get away.

A couple of days later as I walked up the airbridge to the plane, I blinked back teas as I felt the biggest sense of relief and freedom for the first time in years. I messaged a couple of friends to tell them I was on my way. As I was about to board the plane I messaged James to tell him I would be going away for a few weeks and that I would be in contact on my return (this was before smart phones)! I opened the phone, took the sim card out and put it somewhere safe out of sight. I felt so empowered for the first time in years!

What was to follow was a three week solo exploration of Vietnam. I’d never been before and didn’t even know where I was going.

It was the most liberating, freeing experience of my life.

After years of upset, sadness, anguish and feelings of utter worthlessness and despair, I had finally set myself free and was on my path to my new journey.

I met so many people during the life changing trip and told them my story.

A few days later I was looking at the most beautiful view on the veranda of my beach house. As I stood on the beach and felt the sand on my feet, the warmth of the sun on my face and could see the waves lapping against the shore, for the first time in years I felt totally free.

I walked back into my life there and then.

It was the best feeling ever, that and many other epic memories in Vietnam will never leave me.

I came home feeling like a changed person. I carried on my weekly sessions with my therapist. I lapped them up, it totally changed my mindset towards myself. I learnt so much about how I operated and why I was staying stuck in this pattern, attracting these types of relationships. It was so fascinating and I would spend many additional hours learning and reading about my passions, psychology and neuroscience. It allowed me to create such a different outlook, it was truly incredible.

I went back to my job, but knew things needed to change. I began to rebuild my life and I created a fresh start for myself in a new area. I kept learning and learning and knew one day that I wanted to teach what I was learning to others.

My undergraduate degree was in psychology and I had worked with the most demanding, severe and complex mental health cases over the years. I knew my background stood me in good stead. I began to retrain. During a session with my therapist he said that he could envisage me teaching workshops in the future. Me! From the man who had not only helped transform my life, but thousands of others over the years. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

That’s exactly what I did. I worked hard and dedicated myself in my pursuit to retrain to become a therapist. I loved every minute, I was learning so much and it felt so right.

A few years later I took the huge leap of faith to hand in my notice from my permanent, full time job. The one that had security, guaranteed hours, a pension, holidays and annual leave, all the usuals.

I decided to go travelling again, I explored Malaysia, Australia and South America for three months, it was totally amazing, such a special experience. I then returned back to the UK and set up my business.

I can honestly say I’ve never looked back. To now be in the position I am where I get to help amazing clients on a daily basis is an absolute privilege. Those who come to see me with long term anxiety, clinical depression, negative thoughts or stress or perhaps want help with self-esteem and confidence. Being able to work with organisations to help their staff manage and lower their stress levels to help them become more resilient and productive is truly so rewarding. I can honestly say it doesn’t even feel like work I love it that much. From a life of constant strain, stress and upset to a life where I get to choose how I work and operate and get to help and support amazing clients make the most phenomenal changes really is very special.

There are a couple of message I want to leave you with.

If I can do this, so can you. No matter how low you get you can always bounce back, trust me, you can.

If you resonate with anything you have read, always know there is support out there. Whether you are experiencing an abusive relationship, or your mental health is suffering. I urge you, whatever you do, please don’t suffer in silence. Talk to someone. A friend, a family member, or professional. This is not your fault. Once you open up and speak to someone I can guarantee you will start to feel better, a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

When I was in the midst of that abusive relationship, I thought it was all my fault. Thats what I kept being told and thats what I believed. It took me the time to do the work on myself to understand that none of this was my fault. Once I started seeing things in a new perspective, it was a game changer.

Know that you don’t need to suffer. You deserve more, you deserve the best. There is a life out there for you, you can do what it takes. If I can, you can.

I’m proud to say that Eamonn, my therapist is now my mentor, supervisor and friend. He has taught me so much over the years. He would say I changed my own life, but I owe so much to him. He is now in his 70’s and still runs a private practice in Liverpool. I’m eternally grateful that he’s in my life.

As I write this, a journal was delivered in the post today. In it is an article I wrote that got published this year.

Trust me, if I can make these changes, and turn my life around and go from complete depths of despair to a life of happiness, feeling in gratitude every day, so can you.

Janine x

Janine is an experienced hypnotherapist, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and NLP practitioner. She holds a masters degree in Psychology, is a published author and is the host of Success Mindset TV. She is based in Manchester in the UK and works with clients both nationally and internationally in person and online. She delivers private sessions, workshops, training and consultancy in the areas of mental health, mindset, stress management and resilience.

Feel free to follow her on her social media channels and if you would like to speak with Janine personally, send her a message, she would be happy to speak with you.

Anxiety can affect so many of us!

Here are some simple and effective techniques to help you manage anxiety.

1. Deep-breathing.

If you’re not focused on how to calm your body through slow, intentional belly-breathing, you’re missing out. Belly-breathing is free, location independent, and easy to implement. Here’s how to get started:

• Sit with your eyes closed and turn your attention o your breathing. Breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control your breath.
• Be aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. Place one hand on your belly, and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of three. Exhale for a count of four. The hand on your belly should go in as you inhale, and move out as you exhale.
• Concentrate on your breath and forget everything else. Your mind will be very busy, and you may even feel that the meditation is making your mind busier, but the reality is you’re just becoming more aware of how busy your mind is.
• Resist the temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, and focus on the sensation of the breath. If you discover that your mind has wandered and is following your thoughts, immediately return it to the breath.
• Repeat this as many times as necessary until your mind settles on the breath. Don’t wait to begin belly-breathing. The sooner you make this a daily habit, the quicker you’ll feel relaxed.

When you implement belly breathing, you start the day in a here-and-now state. Better yet, you’re not wasting time worrying about the future or reliving the past.

2. Meditate.

Calm is an inside job. Start the day with 10 minutes of solitude and positive energy. Think calm, measured, and open-minded, and your daily activities will correspond. There are many wonderful guided meditations on YouTube. Or, drop me an email and I’ll send you a FREE one! 

3. Practice self-care.

Have a bath. Light some candles. Watch your favourite movie. Cuddle up with a pet. Engross yourself in a good book. Book yourself a treatment like a massage. Or get a friend or partner to give you one if money is tight!

4. Eliminate fizzy drinks

If you’re accustomed to that 10am or 3pm fizzy drink switch it to water or a herbal tea. Not only does the caffeine mess up your central nervous system, but it also depletes vitamins and minerals from your diet and wreaks havoc on your smile. Teeth become susceptible to cavities when the acid level of your saliva falls below a certain point.

If you drink fizzy drinks all day, the outer layers of your teeth begin to lose minerals and cavities form.

5. Trim the fat from your budget.

Financial stress is a common reason people contact me for  therapy. Debt will keep you up at night and contribute to feelings of low self-worth and hopelessness.

Take charge of your finances and stop spending on non-essentials.

Track your daily expenses for a week or two and decide where you can cut back. Notice the items you accumulate mindlessly.

6. Get rid of the clutter.

Do you ever wonder how much time is lost when you can’t find your car keys?

Chances are you’ve got too much stuff clogging up your living space. It can play havoc with our mental health and mindset!

Try this quick organisation hack:

• Choose a drawer or cabinet.
• Categorise the stuff you don’t use.
• Make three piles for a) Items to throw away, b) Items to donate, and c) Items to sell on Ebay.

What you sell on Ebay use the money to…

7. Plan a day trip.

When you spend time in nature, you give your mind and body a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle which causes you to Google things like “How to get rid of anxiety” in the first place.

Chances are, no matter where you live, there’s a serene, interesting, and charming place within a couple of hours.

8. Go to bed early.

This may sound impossible if you’re accustomed to staying up late to catch up on the to-do list. But this one’s a must.

Sleep deprivation is a huge anxiety culprit. Inadequate shuteye can amplify the brain’s anticipatory reactions, upping overall anxiety levels, according to research. Having good sleep has been proven to have huge benefits on wellbeing and mental health. Check out the amazing book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker who takes into account all the most up to date and groundbreaking research.

9. Practice Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Tapping

This amazing scientific technique, likened to acupuncture without the needs is proven to reduce anxiety. Have a go every day when you wake up, or every time you feel anxiety coming on. You will notice great benefits.

Much more information here (click the link below) how Tapping works, where it came from and how it can help you.

What is EFT?

10. Reduce caffeine, sugar, and processed foods.

Caffeine can cause heart palpitations if you ingest too much. Caffeine also can trigger panic or anxiety attacks, especially if you have an anxiety disorder. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can also cause palpitations.

Sugar acts as an adrenal stimulant and can cause anxiety or even panic attack. Other offensive foods include those containing refined flour products and even wheat, since this causes inflammation.

11. Practice gratitude

As bad as your situation is, there’s always someone in a worse predicament. Read a chapter of Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, or check out the headline of the daily newspaper. Be thankful your life is not the feature story.

Write down every day at least three things you are grateful for. Or make a mental note of it along the way.

12. Exercise!

Exercise is nature’s anti-anxiety remedy. Besides clearing the mind, firing up the endorphins, and helping you sleep soundly at night, researchers have found that individuals who exercise vigorously and regularly were 25 percent less likely to develop an anxiety disorder within five years.

Do let me know how you get on!

Janine is the Founder of Change for Success.

She specialises in working with people to transform their lives by working with mindset and mental health.

She works with private clients either online or at her consulting rooms in the heart of Manchester city centre.

Janine runs stress management workshops and helps companies and organisations improve their performance by reducing stress in the workplace. She is a published researcher, hypnotherapist, EFT and NLP Practitioner.

Contact Janine if you would like to arrange a FREE consultation.