Anxiety happens to many women, sometimes without warning. It can be cyclical, occurring during the same day or phase of your cycle every month. It also can happen when life comes at you from all directions. Women are twice as likely to experience anxiety as men, and over 187 million women in America are challenged with anxiety.
Even though anxiety is a common challenge for young girls and women, it can get better. I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and insomnia after experiencing some traumatic events (and my subsequent spiritual awakening) during my 2010 deployment. The anxiety I experience can intensify right before my period and in the middle of my cycle, close to ovulation. While battling anxiety has been difficult, I took it upon myself to learn how to care for my body, mind, and soul when I experience anxious thoughts.
Yesterday, I woke up to a truckload of anxiety. I've been dealing with a lot of changes around my home and work, and my self-care routines slipped a bit in the last week. It felt like my brain immediately jumped into that Anxiety Pool where all the Worry Sharks wanted to grab ahold of me and hold me underwater. It took a couple of hours for me to realize what was happening. However, once I recognized my anxious cues, I was able to activate my Anxiety Self-Care Protocol and help get myself back to a centered and playful Kori.
Kori's Anxiety Self-Care Protocol
Through a lot of self-reflection, mentorship, therapy, and hard work, I've been able to find 3 steps to get myself out of that shark-infested Anxiety Pool. The three steps are Speak, Move, and Act. Once I recognized I was in an anxious cycle yesterday, I initiated this protocol and it made a world of difference.
Here are the 3 hacks I used to help me move from Anxious to Awesome:
Spoke my Anxieties Out Loud. I reached out to one of my dearest friends and said OUT LOUD what I was feeling anxious about. I got those thoughts OUT of my brain so I could examine them and figure out what action to take next. I recognized I was swimming in that Anxiety Pool, and by speaking these feelings, I was able to throw myself a lifeline and swim toward the ladder of presence and centeredness.
I Moved my Body. I picked a workout that had lots of fluid movement and a supportive instructor, and then I pressed play. Intentional, structured movement took me right out of that Overthinking Mind and put me into my Feeling Body. I also made sure the workout was supportive movement in my Follicular Phase. #cyclesyncing
I Took Action. Lastly, I created a sense of stability and control by taking action on small, easy-to-do steps unrelated to my anxious thoughts. I made phone calls to schedule medical appointments. I looked at my household care checklist and got housework completed. I played with the dogs. I brushed my teeth and did a face mask. After about 45 minutes of win after win, I felt more in control and less in my head.
After working through the Speak, Move, Act steps, I was able to return to my important tasks and prepare for the class I was teaching in the afternoon. By the end of the day, I was more centered, stable on my feet, and calm inside my head.
Do you experience Anxiety sometimes, maybe just before your period or at other points in your cycle? I want you to know that it’s ok if you do, AND there are ways you can help reduce those anxious thoughts. Next time you’re feeling anxious, try those three steps I used to get out of anxiety: Speak, Move, and Take Action.
If you need some support with managing anxiety, make sure to find support from a therapist, counselor, and/or coach. Remember, your Mental Health is just as important as your Physical Health.
Much Love,
💋 Kori Rae
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