Notice Thoughts/Feelings

Noticing your thoughts and feelings can be a powerful tool in coping with anxiety. When we're anxious, our minds can become overwhelmed with racing thoughts, worries, and fears. By paying attention to these thoughts and feelings, we can begin to understand and manage them more effectively. Here are some ways that noticing your thoughts and feelings can help:

• Becomes aware of patterns and triggers: By paying attention to your thoughts and feelings, you can start to identify patterns and triggers that contribute to your anxiety. This awareness can help you prepare for situations that might normally trigger anxiety and develop strategies to cope with them.
• Reduces rumination: When we're anxious, it's easy to get caught up in negative thought loops. Noticing your thoughts and feelings can help you recognize when you're ruminating and break the cycle by redirecting your attention to the present moment.
• Increases self-compassion: Noticing your thoughts and feelings can also help you develop a greater sense of self-compassion. By acknowledging and accepting your emotions, you can learn to treat yourself with kindness and understanding, rather than judgment.
• Enhances problem-solving: When we're anxious, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck. Noticing your thoughts and feelings can help you identify problems and develop solutions. By breaking down complex issues into smaller, manageable parts, you can start to feel more in control.
• Fosters mindfulness: Noticing your thoughts and feelings can help you cultivate mindfulness, which is the practice of being present in the moment, without judgment. Mindfulness can help reduce anxiety by teaching you to focus on the present, rather than getting caught up in worries about the past or future.

To start noticing your thoughts and feelings, try setting aside a few minutes each day to reflect on your experiences. Ask yourself:

• What am I thinking right now?
• How am I feeling?
• What's causing me to feel this way?
• What can I do to manage these thoughts and feelings?

Remember, the goal is not to change or judge your thoughts and feelings, but to simply observe them with curiosity and kindness. With time and practice, you can develop greater awareness and learn to manage your anxiety more effectively.