Self Care Archives - Denise Hansard https://denisehansard.com/category/self-care/ Life Coach Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:36:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://denisehansard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cropped-favion-32x32.gif Self Care Archives - Denise Hansard https://denisehansard.com/category/self-care/ 32 32 6 Tricks to Stop Anxious Thoughts https://denisehansard.com/6-tricks-to-stop-anxious-thoughts/ Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:22:07 +0000 https://denisehansard.com/?p=6855 The post 6 Tricks to Stop Anxious Thoughts appeared first on Denise Hansard.

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Are you Anxious?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have racing thoughts and anxiety? It’s hard not to as the chaos of 2020 continues on. The difficulty of focusing on anything else when you feel as if you are being bombarded with negative information constantly causes anxiety to take control of your mind. You’re filled with worries and uncertainties. You can’t calm down or rest … possible having restless night after restless night.

Fortunately, there are ways to control anxious thoughts, and it just takes practice to master the techniques.

Try these tips to control your anxiety:

  • Distance yourself from the worrisome thoughts. Learn to look at your anxious thoughts in a different way.

The key is to reshape how you think about things.

When you get an anxious thought, immediately identify it as a sign of your worry and not reality.

Labeling your thoughts correctly raises self-awareness and makes it easier to control them. It also gives you something else to focus on instead of constant worry.

  • Ask yourself questions. When you get an anxious thought, stop and ask yourself these questions:

What is the real reason for this anxious thought? What am I really afraid of?

Is there real danger, or is my mind simply playing games with me?

Is the negative outcome I’m imagining likely to happen?

How can I stop or change these negative thoughts into something positive?

  • View your thoughts as data. Sometimes it’s helpful to view your thoughts as data and your mind as a data processing center.

You’ll get a lot of data coming in throughout the day. Some of this data can be incorrect and confusing. This is an example of anxious thoughts. 

You may also interpret the data incorrectly. This means you allow the anxious thoughts to take over and control you. You let them grow and fester.

As the data processing center, you get to decide how to handle all the information. Remember you’re in control. This means you can choose to toss out or ignore the incorrect data.

Also, keep in mind that the brain is designed to detect danger and is hypersensitive to it. You may pick up on things that aren’t even real.

  • Focus on the present. Many anxious thoughts are focused on either the future or the past. You can break free by focusing on the present.

Avoid thinking too much about the past or future by interrupting these thoughts. Notice when you’re thinking about the past or future and guide your thoughts back to the present moment.

Sometimes thoughts from the past can make you afraid of the future. Remember that the past doesn’t have to repeat itself. You have the power to change how your future will be shaped.

  • Take action. Anxious thoughts often prevent you from taking action. They keep you stuck in fear and worry. Learn to take action even when you’re afraid.

Find one thing you can influence positively in that moment and take an action.

Action can actually decrease the number of anxious thoughts you have on a daily basis. It can show you that there’s nothing to be afraid of, that you’re powerful, and that you can make a positive difference.

  • Get rid of unhelpful thoughts. Some thoughts may be true, but they aren’t helpful.

Learn to tell helpful and unhelpful thoughts apart.

Then, start to filter out the unhelpful ones. For example, if you know that the odds of making a perfect presentation at work are low, but you still have to do it, this is an unhelpful thought. It doesn’t encourage you to do your best.

Anxious thoughts don’t have to control your life. You can use these tricks to effectively take control of your mind when you find yourself worrying or feeling anxious.  

  

PS … If these tips aren’t enough, consider reaching out for additional help.

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]]> Do you meditate? https://denisehansard.com/do-you-meditate/ Thu, 22 Jun 2017 22:14:27 +0000 http://denisehansard.com/?p=3126 “Meditation more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I’ve had.” Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates — the world’s largest hedge fund firm. As the new year of 2017 started, I decided to begin the practice of meditation and mindfulness. Mindfulness was an easier process for me to […]

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“Meditation more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I’ve had.” Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates — the world’s largest hedge fund firm.

As the new year of 2017 started, I decided to begin the practice of meditation and mindfulness. Mindfulness was an easier process for me to implement much more so than meditation. To be mindful in each and every moment was really already a part of me with some days where … oops! I went down a rabbit hole when life went sideways. Fortunately, I didn’t go too deep into that hole since it was second nature to come back to the present moment being fully aware of my thoughts, feelings and behaviors … who I chose to be in that moment.
Putting the practice of meditation into my life as a daily program didn’t come naturally to me. I loved the benefits of it when I did meditate … better health, better efficiency in my work, pretty much better everything. Yet, making it a priority to do every day was not what I was choosing to do. I would do it sporadically … a day or two consistently here and there, then I would miss doing it for almost a week. Ugh! Back to the beginning.
I am proud to say that I have gotten much better at meditation becoming second nature and it didn’t happen overnight. Here is how it came about for me:

March     Meditated 3 days, then skipped a day. Meditated 4 days, then skipped 2 days.

April     Meditated 20 days straight … Yippee!, then skipped a day … what the hey!  Meditated 6 days, then skipped a day!  Frustrating!

May     Meditated every day of the month except for one day at the very beginning of the month.  On a roll …

June     Every day this month so far … Success! I have been meditating daily for the last 50 days! So proud of my accomplishment and it is feeling natural now.

What I have learned in this process …
  • Focus on the benefits of the results with my feelings
  • Allow the process to evolve until it is a part of me
  • Just do it! Get out of my own way and ‘willie nillie’ excuses that don’t serve me in any way

I use an app to help support me in my practice of meditation … Calm. I also purchased a meditation cushion. Tools, like these, are a fantastic way to keep me motivated.
There is plenty of research which shows that mindfulness & meditation helps us to perform better at work, communicate better with others, handle stress and uncertainty with a touch of grace and to experience more joy and contentment.
With that said, why would you not put these into your daily practice … a practice of self-care? You choose to exercise your body by going to the gym, running, doing yoga, etc. You choose to exercise your brain by playing strategic games, debating with others, etc. Why not choose to exercise your spirit through mindfulness and meditation?

It is your choice.

Denise Hansard is a former corporate pricing expert turned motivational speaker & life coach with a Masters in counseling who has coached hundreds of women to make 6 figures, find the love of their life and get super healthy. Author of the book Suffering in Comfort, she is an expert in transformation.

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]]> I’m Brain Dead https://denisehansard.com/im-brain-dead/ Thu, 21 Jul 2016 22:34:35 +0000 http://denisehansard.com/?p=2652 I’m sitting here trying to figure what inspirational moment I can tell you about this week, what great idea I came up with to share with you, and … I got nothing!  Yes, that is right.  I haven’t got a brain cell in my body coming up with any motivating or inspiring idea. My pattern […]

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]]> I’m sitting here trying to figure what inspirational moment I can tell you about this week, what great idea I came up with to share with you, and … I got nothing!  Yes, that is right.  I haven’t got a brain cell in my body coming up with any motivating or inspiring idea.

My pattern for writing my newsletter is to begin thinking about what I want to say on Monday.  Then by the time Thursday rolls around I will have come up with an idea based upon something that happened to me or someone I know, a book that I am reading, something I heard on the radio or saw on TV … you get the idea.  Then I sit down on Thursday afternoon and hammer it out so that you receive it on Friday like clock-work.
Didn’t happen this week.  I have been heads down in creating, marketing, not sleeping well … full moon/new moon/whatever … and not becoming creative enough to write anything inspirational for you this week.

So, here is my question to you …
What do you want me to write about? 
Having my Masters in Counseling and a certification in Transformational Life Coaching, I can write about ways to become more confident, how to deal with the challenges of your life of not being good enough, not having enough money/education/time, manifesting abundance, self-care techniques, choices, etc.  Having spent 20 years in the corporate world moving up the proverbial career ladder in major corporations, I can write about the sales process, managing people, effective communication, the steps you need to take to move into that next position or company, etc.
So, what do you want to know about?  Leave me a message and I will do my best to write about your requested topic.

You know I can’t leave you without at least one tip … When you feel like I do with nothing creative to offer, do something to take care of you.  Get more sleep, get outside, call up a friend, have a treat, tell someone “thanks”.  Something that is just for you.
If I haven’t told you lately, thanks for reading my newsletter and thanks for your responses.  I love what I do and love to give.  I am here for you.

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