Sharetools

Monday, November 15, 2021

Convert Anxiety into Relaxation with a Colorful Cloud Visualization

 Stress Reduction Visualization


Mental health experts agree it’s common to experience anxiety in response to fearful or stressful situations and occasional anxiety is a normal part of life.


Information from the American Psychological Association indicates that “Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.


Since the pandemic, moderate to severe anxiety has risen to 37.3 percent of the adult population, up from 6.9 percent in 2019. 


We are living in atypical times. I believe we need an extra-large dose of Tender Loving Care (TLC) and a huge portion of self-compassion when we are exploring ways to convert anxiety into relaxation.


A recent anxiety reduction study conducted by the National Institute of Health(NIH) indicates just as spending time in nature can reduce anxiety, Nature-based Guided Imagery (GI) such as visualizing walking at the beach, hiking in the mountains, kayaking on a river, or having a picnic in a green field has special healing power. 


Nature-based GI works by signaling our bodies to reduce cortisol level (the stress hormone), breathe deeper, lower blood pressure, and connect with the revitalizing energy found in natural surroundings. 


Moreover, nature-based GI helps us overcome the limitation of access to nature and simulates the impact of nature-based anxiety relief interventions.


Look below and discover a fun way to



Convert Anxiety into

 Relaxation with a Colorful 

Cloud Visualization


Settle yourself into a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Select a position that is good for you like lying on the floor, sitting on the floor, or sitting upright in a chair with your feet on the floor and hands in your lap.

Pick a location that allows you to experience the moment, rather than one that helps you drift off and fall asleep.

Begin by closing your eyes or gazing softly. Then take three deep, cleansing breathes.  

You can count each breath in your mind, but don't worry if you forget to count, or forget your place in the counting.

Deep breathing is a great way to start any visualization exercise, as it grounds you and helps you focus on mind, body, and spirit. More about deep breathing in the post How to Conquer Stress Quickly and Effectively.


Selfcare tips breathing exercise


Think of your breath as a path to calm, gentle energy. Imagine the exhale as a place to let go of worry, fear, and urgency to fix the future. Recognize the inhale as space to restore equilibrium and ease.

Imagine yourself exhaling a cloud of anxiety. If you can't easily imagine a cloud, you may want to put your hand on your chest as you breathe and sense your lungs, heart, and gut getting lighter or more open.

Now imagine yourself stepping into a fluffy white cloud that has fallen to the ground. If you find this challenging, recall the cloud image pictured at the top of this post.

Envision reaching out to feel the white clouds' airiness as well as sensing the clouds' ability to enfold and support your body.

White is an expansive color, one that is made of all the colors in the spectrum. White reflects all light and makes spaces appear larger. See Ways to Welcome and Embrace White Space for more.




In Western traditions white is often used as a symbol or purity and new beginnings. Let the color white help you turn over a new leaf. 

Picture yourself sitting on a puffy white cloud. Use this time to acknowledge and reflect on ways you tried to cope with anxiety by using outmoded patterns, worn out ideas, and unhealthy methods to deal with stress. 

If any anxiety producing or judgmental  thoughts come into your consciousness, acknowledge their presence. Then wish them goodbye, and they probably will drift away.

The idea of this step is to minimize holding on, without critical thoughts about yourself. 😍 

Feel the surface below you becoming softer and more cloud-like. Imagine the cloud rising, surrounding you in its protective support. You become light as a white dove, and soon are floating on your special cloud without a care in the world.

See your cloud rising a little further, taking you with it. It appears that the walls and ceiling around you are disappearing as you float into the sky, drifting on the cloud.

Look around from this vantage point and imagine what else you can see. 

Perhaps you envision a forest filled with beautiful autumn hued trees, their leaves whispering in the gentle breeze. 

Maybe you prefer to see housetops, country roads, hills, or even the ocean at sunset.

From this awesome vantage point, you can see around you 360 degrees. The horizon stretches out in a complete circle around you.

Feel contentment, harmony, and well-being as you use parts of the natural world and your imagination to help you absorb healing earth energy.

Sense softness in your arms, legs, and torso. Sense peacefulness in mind and spirit.

Envision a wave of relaxation flowing from your head, down through your neck, chest, back, arms, legs, and feet. Notice how freeing and loving it feels to be in this cloud.

Allow warmth and relaxation to take over. As you do this, focus your awareness on your feet. Feel the floor beneath them, and then move your awareness up through your body, feeling it spreading right up to the top of your head.

Move your focus back to your imagination as you take a large handful of the cloud and imagine what it would feel like to be immersed inside of it. Relax and enjoy these comforting feelings, and let your mind drift wherever it wants to go.

If you sense any anxiety, bring it to the surface. Let all that you feel float to the surface, acknowledge them, but don’t get caught up in them. 

Keep acknowledging your emotions, by identifying the feelings and then gently releasing them, as if they are on their own clouds, being blown away by a gentle breeze.

Keep doing this until your mind is free and clear of any anxious or stressful thoughts. The cloud keeps you safe and protected as you watch your worries and anxieties drift away. 

When you feel complete, start to come back from this journey by yawning, moving your shoulders up and down, or sighing. Let your cloud take you back to where you need to go. 

Notice your cloud is lowering you down, back toward the ground. Float back to where you were when you started this visualization. 

Give your cloud time to rest on the bed, chair, or whatever surface you are on. Feel the cloud slowly disappear as the real surface becomes more solid beneath you.

Get in touch with your surroundings, and slowly come back to the present. Feel a real surface beneath you. Hear the sounds around you. Become more and more aware and alert. Continue to rest for a few moments longer, but open your eyes and look around. See your surroundings.

This cloud visualization is an effective self-care tool, because it allows you to take advantage of the healing power of being in nature, without having to leave your environment. 

It is provided for information and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

Next time you feel on edge, take a short break to convert anxiety into relaxation with this colorful cloud visualization.


I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Please share comments in the section below. 

Have you used guided imagery to help you reduce stress or anxiety?

Are you willing to give it a try? Please explain in the comments section below.

Just a word of caution. If you share a link in your comment, I won't be able to publish it that way.

Please visit my Website as well. It's the go-to place to learn ways I can help you with content creation, editing, and guest blogs to boost your business and help your organization thrive.


Writing Services from Nancy Andres

This post has been shared at Senior-Salon-Pit-Stop-297

Thrilled and Delighted this post is a Bonus FEATURE at the SSPS#276 Inlinz Blog Party. Thanks so much Maria at Krafty Planner Blog for selecting it. 

This post has been shared at 275-Senior-Salon-Pit-Stop


This post has been shared at Dare-to-share-504


This post has been shared at Thursday Favorite Things


This post has been shared at Dare-to-Share-496


This post has been shared at Thursday-Favorite-Things-Party


This post has been shared at dare-to-share-495


This post has been shared at November-edition-of-the-hearth-and-soul-link-party




 


8 comments:

  1. Love the visualization of being on a soft cloud and floating to peaceful places like my favorite lake or the mountains. I can feel the stress draining from my body and my thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you liked this Beth and that it helped you. Have a wonderful day.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Yes, vigorous exercise is a great anxiety and stress reducer. Wishing you a great day.

      Delete
  3. Nancy,
    Thanks for sharing this peaceful idea. I find that when I am stressed, having a specific exercise is more helpful than just trying to relax. Thanks for the detailed instructions and happy thanksgiving my blogging friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agree with you Judee. Focusing on a specific exercise is more helpful to me than just trying to relax, although sometimes all I need to do is focus on deep breathing. Have a beautiful Thanksgiving and know I am grateful for you.

      Delete
  4. Thank you so much for sharing on the Senior Salon Pit Stop! I'm excited to be featuring your post on Monday’s #SSPS. Congrats! Pinned!
    Maria @ kraftyplanner.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thrilled and Delighted this post is a Bonus FEATURE at the SSPS#276 Inlinz Blog Party. Thanks so much Maria at Krafty Planner Blog for selecting it. Love the party and hope my readers will check it out. Thanks again Maria. I appreciate this honor.

      Delete