That's me with my parents and my son.

Hope you are having a great Summer! I felt very blessed having my parents visit me for a month this summer. The days flew by too fast and they left a few days back. 

After a very hectic June, I am now taking this month of July to slow down my pace, get out more in nature, spend quality time with my family and reboot! So we are packing up and heading for a week at the beach. :-)

As a family ritual, I also took some time earlier this month to do some reflection. I sat with my kids and reviewed the intentions we had set at the start of the year. Since it's past mid year mark, we looked at how far we think we were on our journey to our desires (on a scale of 0-10; where 10 = we are there, and 0 = not started). We also reflected on what needs to change to get to that 10 mark. We checked in to see there were any negative beliefs, thoughts, feelings that were getting in the way of achieving our goals and "tapped them all away". Feeling all set for the next half of the year.

How are you coming along with your dreams and goals for this year? Are you well on your way?

The journey to our dreams is usually not free of struggles. If overwhelm and anxiety are getting in the way of your dreams, the featured article for this month will be a worthwhile read!

All good wishes!

Are You Struggling To Cope With ANXIETY?

Are You Struggling To Cope With ANXIETY?

I want to check in and ask you, are you:

• Exhausted and drained because of overthinking and non-stop worrying? 
• Frustrated because of lack of sleep is playing a havoc in your daily life?
• Feeling weighed down by the headaches, stomachaches and pains?
• Desperate to feel peace and ease within but not having a clue what to do?

May be, like many other people, you have tried to help yourself taking pills, tranquilizers etc. prescribed by doctors. These pills and medications can be helpful in bringing quick relief, which maybe absolutely crucial sometimes. However, this relief is only temporary. The anxiety symptoms re-surface very quickly in new and stronger ways than before and you feel stuck again in this cycle of pain. Why? Because the underlying ROOT ISSUES have not been dealt with.

The UNDERLYING ROOT CAUSE of Chronic Anxiety is always FEAR. Usually it is not REAL FEAR. It is an IMAGINED FEAR!  Fear of the future, of things that could go wrong. Fear of what might happen, might not happen. FEAR of the UNKNOWN.

FEAR is always a product of our imagination. It is a negative imagined thought about something that hasn't happened yet, and may never happen ever! However, because we begin to BELIEVE the negative thoughts, we stay in this constant state of anxiety.

In my experience, more often than not, these feelings of anxiety begin in childhood. They are not really recognized then as they may not too pronounced. However, left untreated, these issues begin to magnify as one gets older. Soon this built up anxiety over the years begins to pop up at every turn. A lot of energy has to be put in to control it and this itself can be emotionally frustrating and draining.

Here are a few natural ways to cope with Anxiety:

1. Take an inventory of your Anxious Thoughts- When negative thoughts keep floating around in circles in your mind, they create a general state of anxiety. You can't really pin point what's creating the anxiety but you feel anxious anyway. 
   
   Make a list of all the thoughts that are bothering you. Write it out on a piece of paper so it's out of your head on to a place you can see it!
2. Question Your Anxious Thoughts - If your mind tricking you into the 'What If' disaster scenarios, question those scenarios right back! Ask yourself…

• 'What if this is not the ABSOLUTE truth?'
• 'What if it doesn't have to be so bad?
• 'what if it isn't the end of the world'?
• 'what if' things work out?
• 'What if' this never happens?

3. Explore the Worst Case Scenario - they say the only thing that becomes smaller when you go closer and closer to it is FEAR!  So dare to ask yourself:

• "What is the absolute worst case scenario".
• Sit with this scenario quietly.
• Allow the FEELINGS to come up.
• Swim towards these feelings. Observe them closely. If the intensity is strong, remind yourself, this is all in your head, its not really happening.  
• After a while the intensity of these feelings will begin to subside.

Now that the mind is more calm and relaxed, solutions, ideas, inspiration may trickle in as to how you can handle the worst-case scenario situation, and it may not feel intense any longer.

4. Get Active - to shift that nervous energy in your mind, heart and body, engage in uplifting activities.  What puts you in a happy, carefree state?  Dance? Exercise? Music? Walks in nature? Do more of those activities DAILY.
    
   
5. Get Help - there are times when you have done all you can and still feel stuck. Don't suffer silently alone. Get professional help.

Explore different alternative therapies out there that actually address the ROOT causes of Anxiety. Not some temporary quick fixes. My favorite is EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, which I have used successfully with thousands of clients. To get a taste of EFT for dealing with anxiety, 'tap along' with my video to experience instant shifts. Click here to view it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJGn4EUQBc

Anxiety can feel overwhelming. It can weigh you down and drain you out - mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  But by taking small steps – like the ones above – you can minimize your anxiety and cope more effectively.

Image Copyright: 123RF Stock Photo

"I suffered from anxiety disorder for the past 15 years...

...something that affected my business traveling and sometimes jeopardized my career. I tried Shalini's EFT with a lot of skepticism at first....but it worked.... I was surprised at how amazingly calm I became when I traveled underground on the MRT or took the lift to the 30th floor, when in the past, these issues where giving me a whole lot of stress, fear, and stomach tensions and anxiety. It is amazingly simple and easy...and it works ...Thanks Shalini!"

Nadim Xavier Salhani
Group Managing Director,
Dunkin Donut and
Au Bon Pain Cafe (Thailand)

Shalini is an internationally renowned Emotional and Physical Pain Relief Expert. She is also an international best selling author of the book Pebbles In The Pond Wave Three, co-authored with Lisa Nichols and others.

After doctors prescribed bed rest indefinitely due to an illness and chronic pain, she went on a profound journey - discovered tools that she used by herself and healed herself completely. Since then, she has helped hundreds of pain sufferers, sometimes including doctors, go from feeling stuck to relieved, and from frustration and anger to peace and clarity. Her work has been featured on national and international magazines, newspapers, and even on television.

Shalini is currently focused on working long term with a small group who are feeling sick of being stuck, who are ready and committed to doing what it takes to bring the big shifts they want.
You can visit her website, www.EFTThailand.com, email Shalini@EFTThailand.com, or complete an online survey at www.EFTThailand.com/mastery-path for a 45-minute free assessment session.