Steve Sampson guest blogs on Serenity’s Website in order to take a deeper look at what you will generally experience in a yin or restorative yoga class. While both forms of practice are similar in that they are relatively slow and passive practices, there are some differences in the intent behind that stillness.

Gaining control over your anxiety is possible. However, only 36.9% of people diagnosed with anxiety ask for help. I see so many people taking fiction as facts that they talk themselves out of taking steps to conquer their anxiety before they even start! Can you relate? What if I told you THAT YOU CAN manage your anxiety on your own, but that you have to LEARN HOW TO first? Here’s how to find peace and freedom from your anxious mind by learning effective ways to manage your anxiety and how you can do it on your own.

Spring is a time for new beginnings, growth, love and hope. Can you feel a sense of joy and inspiration in the air as the earth wakes up from the cold and darkness of winter? It can be invigorating! Unless it’s not. Spring can also mean allergies, water retention, bloat and generally feeling lethargic most of the time. Here’s how to better manage your health during the drudges of spring with clarity and ease by applying Ayurvedic principles to your daily life.

If you look around your cluttered space and start to question where things are, feel overwhelmed and panicked about the mess, or start obsessing about what visitors will think, you are negatively impacting your already anxious mind. But don’t worry! I got you. As a self-diagnosed “clean freak”, I share why it’s important to have an organized space, especially when you already struggle with anxiety, and a few clear actions you can take to begin decluttering today! You’ll clear your mind, reduce your anxiety and increase your productivity in no time!

What if I told you that your body has a physical response to anxiety and that it’s not all in your head? Are you ready to learn how the body and mind play a role with your anxiety so you can quiet that inner critic of yours? This simplified explanation will provide the clarity you need in order to find relief from your inner critic, reduce your anxiety and feel a deeper sense of self-love.

I know you’re constantly being asked to do more with less and be everything to everyone.  The amount of tasks, responsibilities and roles you manage on a daily basis is impressive.  My guess is that you feel overwhelmed most of the time and I can completely relate.  Being busy and anxious is exhausting.  The worst part for me was that I felt like I couldn’t do anything about it.  Until I learned that I could.  Here’s how to live in the present moment, stop your overthinking mind and prevent fatigue.  You’ll tackle that to-do list in no time with ease and clarity.  

This inner voice is your negativity bias - it is holding you back from living your best life and it is ruthless.  It probably sounds something like, “I’m not good enough, pretty enough, successful enough, smart enough, or talented enough.”  (And the list goes on, and on.)  Can you imagine the possibilities for your life without this nagging voice? Learn how to free yourself from paralyzing negative self-talk in order to feel a deeper sense of self-love and achieve goals you never thought possible. 

Inside that brain of yours is a constant dialogue that just keeps jumping from one idea, thought or emotion to another. It’s exhausting. I get it. But what if I told you that your anxious mind does not define you and that you can learn how to separate from your anxious thoughts in order to feel grounded and balanced?

What if I told you that taking a break won’t make you less productive and put you behind in your work? It’s quite the opposite, actually … regular breaks help you be more efficient and productive so you can get more things done quicker!

The things that we believe actually can turn into our character and become our destiny.

Let’s talk about impermanence.

The practice of mindfulness is not keeping your mind quiet and learning how to be Zen at all times. The practice is recognizing when you are caught in a thought and gently, with kindness, drawing your awareness back to the present moment.  

It seems everyone is talking about being mindful, eating mindfully and generally staying present to combat stress. Living in the present moment will help quiet the mind, calm the body and reduce anxiety, and it’s easy to get started.

Fear is the physical response to an external threat. It’s an instinctual reaction to preserve your life from immediate danger.  Anxiety, however, is not a response to immediate danger. It’s brought on by the memories of fear or the anticipation of fear.