It’s a feeling that has become all too familiar over the last few years. Pinpointing it isn’t easy, but the sensation of a serious problem looming is apparent.

Here it is….you are facing another overwhelming day. The list of demands never seems to stop. As a matter of fact, the more you check off the list, the longer the list becomes! Let’s see…. on today’s schedule: that demanding client who takes all your time is coming at 10 am.

Four missed deadlines yesterday are added on the huge list for today, the car needs servicing and to top it off – your husband told you this morning he resents never seeing you because you work too much. By now your heart is jumping, and it’s hard to get a breath. The quickly gobbled breakfast is bloating up your stomach and there’s a bit of nausea creeping in. Now it’s really hard to think straight!

Does this sound familiar to you?

Unfortunately this kind of scenario is way too common.

You value your health, and you’d rather stay away from medications and take care of this naturally. You think, “Maybe it will just get better on its own. Maybe I just need to exercise more and get more sleep.”

Truthfully, it doesn’t usually just get better. Living this way is not only unpleasant, it is damaging your body and mind at a level beyond your awareness, setting the stage for more serious problems in the future. It is not wise to wait.

So, is there anything that can be done?

How do you find yourself amid this insanity? And most importantly in the short term, how do you get out of living in survival mode all the time?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible! In most situations you can be freed from this prison of negative feelings without medications.

First, realize you are a living being with a nervous system that functions optimally when the inner environment is one of quiet calmness. When there are habitual strong reactions to the outside world, some parts of the nervous system are overwhelmed with energy while other parts are starved of energy. This creates uncomfortable mental and physical states.

Think about it this way….. Anxious overwhelm has slowly become a habit over the years. Being this way has become so automatic that without even thinking about it, it just happens. In simplistic but real terms your body and mind must re-learn a new way to be.

Being includes 1) how you think, 2) how you believe and 3) how you act. As these 3 aspects of yourself change, the way you feel will change and surprisingly your outside circumstances will most likely ease up.

Wait! What about the list I have to get done? What about the difficult client and my upset husband?

Whoa… stop and gently take a breath in. It is a strange fact that the outside world will calm down, not when you get your list done, but when you change from the inside first. Let go of trying to control the outside world. The outside world will respond when you have created a foundation of quiet calmness inside first.

Here are 5 tools you can use today to begin to generate momentum toward feeling good physically and mentally:

1 – Begin paying attention to the self talk that goes on in your mind.

Simply noticing this negative stream of thoughts will begin to weaken them. With continued practice, you can gradually begin choosing new thoughts that support a calm state despite tense outside world situations. The result: Previously stressful events won’t throw you off.

2 – Learn how to do an easy and effective technique called Meridian tapping.

I can teach you the basics in one session and you can check out Meridian Tapping. It’s like being able to give yourself a mini acupuncture treatment anytime. The result: You get an effective life-time tool for instant calming and re-framing away from stress and into ease.

3 – Acupuncture

Acupuncture retrains the nervous system to calm and balance. It gently moves you out of survival and into rejuvenating mode. Acupuncture can be used in conjunction with therapy and meds. The result: You can stay away from meds to begin with or transition away from them.

4 – Open up to the idea that some of your beliefs may be contributing to your current situation.

Here is an example: Mary is so anxious at work it’s getting hard to function. Upon self inquiry and some questions from her acupuncturist she realizes her belief in the need to please everyone – an impossible task. She begins to recognize that even if everyone is not 100% happy all of the time, she still does a great job at work. The result: She becomes free of the chains of her old beliefs at a body and mind level and her anxiety is mostly gone.

5 – Commit to exercise and yoga.

Anxiety and other negative mind states are a form of stagnation of flow between body and mind. The Result: Physical movement will help both body and mind flow into a state of space and freedom

I have worked extensively with people who are suffering with this common affliction. Consider acupuncture as a perfect starting point in the journey of re-activating your natural state of calmness and ease. Experiment with these tools and you just may find yourself feeling much better. You don’t need to spend lots of time everyday practicing these things. With even a little focus each week, the payoff will buy you a freedom that can transform your life from a tiring list of “shoulds” and health problems, into joyful flow.

The process is fun and easier than you can imagine in your current state of mind. I would love to help guide you there.

Click here to get a free copy of my eBook “How to Thrive in the Modern World” scroll down and put in your email for immmediate access. I look forward to hearing your questions or comments.