07/05/2025
Does anxiety keep you feeling locked inside your own mind?
Do you ever feel trapped, like you're stuck in a constant loop of overwhelm, tension, negative thoughts, and depleted self-esteem?
Does anxiety stop you doing what you want to do?
🌸In the UK, an estimated 8.2 million people experience anxiety disorders, that's roughly 1 in 10 people suffer from anxiety. Every week, clients sit across from me saying they "just want to feel normal" or they want to "stop feeling anxious."
👍One thing I have discovered is the language we use about anxiety can keep us trapped or empower us.
When you say things like "my anxiety" or "I want to stop feeling anxious," your brain is actually receiving instructions to focus on... you guessed it... anxiety! And what we focus on, we get more of.
Even wishing to feel "normal" can backfire if anxiety has become your norm.
😊 Simple Language Shifts Make a Profound Difference 😊
1. Instead of saying "my anxiety," call it "the anxiety" - creating a helpful distance. It’s a feeling that has been activated inside of you, it's not yours and you are not "it".
2. Replace "I want to stop feeling anxious" with "I choose to feel calm & relaxed." What you focus on – you get more of.
3. Define what "feeling good" means for you specifically, rather than using vague terms like "normal". You might like to use positive words like confident, empowered or safe – be creative.
🌸Use your creative imagination to define and reinforce what "calm & relaxed" actually means to you. 🌸
1. Take a few moments to disengage from whatever you are doing (as long as it's safe to do so!) and take a few slow, deep breaths.
2. Remember a time when you were physically relaxed and mentally calm. Perhaps walking somewhere in nature, or sitting on a comfy chair listening to your favourite music, or interacting with your favourite pet – anything that comes to mind.
3. Call up the image of that calm, relaxed you and connect with the positive feelings. Really engage with this memory as you recall the sights, the sounds and all the sensations.
4. Imagine stepping in to that image of you, and bringing those feelings into the now. Notice where in your body you feel those lovely calm, relaxed feelings and acknowledge them in your mind, for example, “, I’m breathing slowly and deeply, I feel a lovely calmness flowing through my body, my arms and legs are comfortably relaxed, my muscles are loose, my expression is soft, my mind is calm.”… etc.
5. Now, holding on to the feeling of calm relaxation, imagine doing something you want to do. Make it vivid, talk yourself through it, using words like calm & relaxed, or any words that inspire you to feel the way you want to feel. Play it like a video in your mind, from start to finish.
6. Jump your mind forward to 15 minutes after the event. See yourself looking pleased with your achievement, and tell yourself "Well Done!".
😊Remember, your brain responds to the images and feelings your words create. When you shift your language, and use your imagination in a positive constructive way, you begin redirecting your focus toward what you truly want. Your brain follows your lead and looks for more of what you focus on.
If you want to transform your relationship with anxiety and reclaim the joy in your life, be mindful of your words. And if you need some help, I'm right here - just get in touch.
✨ Remember: You're not broken and you don't need fixing. You already have everything you need to feel calm and centred - sometimes you just need a little help finding your way back. ✨
www.innerspacehypnotherapy.co.uk
