{How exactly to} Systematically Cure Your Anxiety

Ever wonder {how exactly to} cure anxiety? {continue reading} {to discover} how.

If there’s {a very important factor} {I really like}, it’s “The Emperor {DOES NOT HAVE ANY} Clothes” moments {once you} realize everyone’s feeling something…but nobody {says} it.

It happened when I finally got {nowadays} with my friends and we started telling {the reality}.

How {a lot of us} sit and stare at screens for over 8 hours/day?

How {a lot of us} focus almost exclusively on our careers and – {easily} asked you what new hobby {you would like to|you need to|you wish to} tackle {this season} – {could have} no idea {how to proceed}?

How {a lot of us} use stimulants to mask our exhaustion?

How {a lot of us} feel guilty or anxious {you should definitely} working?

If you raised your hand to {these} questions, this post is {for you personally}.

Today, I’ve invited {my pal} Charlie Hoehn {to talk about} how he systematically cured his anxiety within one month. Charlie knows {much better than} {a lot of people} what it’s {prefer to} lose control of his work-life balance.

Charlie {did} some cool stuff {over time}. He helped Tim Ferriss edit and launch The 4-Hour Body, he was a cameraman on Tucker Max’s movie tour, and he developed the Negotiate It iPhone app with me. But Charlie had a tendency to work {night and day}. He drank {a great deal of} coffee, pulled all-nighters, {rather than} {appeared to} sleep. {I recall} seeing him at a marketing conference {a couple of years} ago, and he casually mentioned that he’d only slept six hours in three days.

Hmm…

At some point, Charlie burned out and became extremely anxious. None of his friends really knew what he was {coping with} because he kept it to himself. It took {some time}, but he finally {determined} {how exactly to} pull himself out of his funk. And he {achieved it} without pharmaceuticals or expensive therapy.

Maintaining a work-life balance {is definitely} a struggle, {however now} it’s harder {than ever before}. {Many people are} online and {on the} phones {all the time}. It’s impossible {to totally} disconnect from work, and we often forget {to possess} fun {and revel in} life. Charlie took {a distinctive} systematic {method of} cure his anxiety AND manage his workaholism, {which explains why} I asked him {to talk about} his story.

In fact, he’s {likely to} reveal {the precise} steps he took. This post {will highlight} {how exactly to} heal your anxiety, in minimal time, {and revel in} {your daily life} more… {simply by} making simple changes to your {day to day routine}.

This {is essential} stuff. We {discuss} living a rich life, but {hardly any} people {discuss} the costs {to be} ultra-focused on success.

Charlie – {go on it} away.

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What {easily} told you {your} anxiety – {anxiety attacks}, paranoia, all that scary stuff – {could possibly be} cut {in two}, {in under} one month? {I understand} it’s possible, because I’ve done it. {All you need} {to accomplish} is systematize {several} key {regions of} {your daily life}.

These simple changes to your {day to day routine} can transform your mental health. It won’t happen overnight, and the journey won’t {continually be} easy. But {in the event that you} {stick to} these changes {for a couple} weeks, your sanity {will undoubtedly be} restored.

For many who {experience} anxiety, {which means} having {your daily life} back. {This means} freedom. {For me personally}, it meant {having the ability to} breathe, to love, and – {most of all} – to laugh again.

Here’s how {I did so} it…

System 1: Replace Bad {Quite happy with} Happy/Healthy Content

It took me {quite a while} to {view it}, but the news was my single biggest {way to obtain} anxiety. {Web sites} I was reading {every day} talked non-stop about crime, corruption, economic breakdown, and {the finish} of {the planet}.

As {an outcome}, my {concern with} being attacked spun {uncontrollable}. I became {enthusiastic about} protecting myself {out of every} possible threat to my livelihood. I researched {how to proceed} {easily} was arrested and thrown in jail. I spent {a huge selection of} dollars on food and equipment that I hoped would save me {in case of} {a tragedy}.

There was nothing inherently wrong with {finding your way through} {a crisis}, but obsessing over preposterous apocalyptic scenarios, {each day}, for months {at a time}? What {a massive} waste of {hard work}!

It finally dawned on me that my {concern with} an imaginary future was destroying my {capability to} {benefit from the} present.

And what planted those seeds of fear? The news.

When I made the commitment to {slice the} news out of {my entire life} completely, my anxiety plummeted {in under} {fourteen days}. The negative information I {taken off} my conscious awareness freed me from the confines of other people’s frightening narratives. I replaced the scary news with positive, joyful, and fun information.

For instance, I listened to uplifting songs and standup comedy albums. I watched funny and happy movies. I read fiction books that sparked my imagination, {instead of} workaholic business books that made me feel productive. {It certainly} helped. 

Your brain {is like} your {digestive tract} – {it needs} {a healthy diet plan} {to be able to} function properly. {Which means} {you should be} selective {in what} you feed {your brain}. And the sad {facts are} that {the news headlines} is poison.

News outlets don’t really {value} relevant information, facts, investigative reporting, biased agendas, or whether they’re poisoning their audience’s psyche. All they {value} is numbers: page views, shares, and eyeballs {for his or her|because of their} advertisements. Even the “truth deliverers” and conspiracy websites play this game.

It’s an impossible undertaking to {evaluate} their incessant distortion of reality, {and you may} never {be certain} if what you’re reading is true… But that’s not what this post {is approximately}. All {I could} say is that {the news headlines} was making me afraid of {the planet}. When I cut it out, I stopped being afraid. {You’re} {absolve to} do {exactly the same}.

How {you should use} {this technique}: Cut anxiety-inducing information – especially {the news headlines} – {from the} {day to day routine} completely! If {friends and family} are watching {the news headlines} in {exactly the same} room, either change the channel or go {take action} else. {In case a} scary headline appears in your Facebook feed, don’t click it – block it!

There’s {zero} reason {you will need} to subject {you to ultimately} unhealthy unrealities. Replace those unsettling thoughts with positive content {that may|which will} lift you up. Otherwise, {you’ll} taint {your ideas}, instill fear {in your thoughts}, and continually spoil {the grade of} {your daily life}.

System 2: Optimize Your Sleeping Conditions

Like I said, {the human brain} {is like} your {digestive tract}. That means {you will need} {to provide} it adequate {time and energy to} REST and DIGEST. And {the ultimate way to} {do this} is by improving {the grade of} your sleep.

When I felt my worst, sleep just wasn’t {important} ({not just a} coincidence). I worked {night and day}, drank coffee {all day long}, consumed {processed foods} and alcohol late {during the night}, and checked my bright {cellular phone} screen while I was {during intercourse}. I pulled {plenty of} all-nighters and got used to {drifting off to sleep} at late hours – usually around 3:00AM. Then I’d {awaken} {a couple of hours} later and {take action} {yet again}. And {just what a} shock: I felt exhausted {on a regular basis}. I was chronically in a severe sleep deficit, which took {a significant} toll on {my own body}.

Learn more {on how best to} engineer {an ideal} night’s sleep here.

During the month I cured my anxiety, I made getting consistent, quality sleep {among} my highest priorities. First, I optimized my environment for ideal sleep. {Listed below are} the changes I made:

• Plug in {cellular phone} charger faaaaar {from} bed. It’s extremely tempting {to utilize} your {cellular phone} or laptop while you’re lying {during intercourse} ({the web} is open {round the clock}!), but this seriously screws up your sleep. {The largest} problem with {considering} screens late {during the night} is that it’s an unnatural source of bright light. {Even though} your screen is on {the cheapest} brightness setting, it’s still tricking {your brain} into staying awake. {The ultimate way to} prevent yourself from checking screens late {during the night} is by {establishing} {just a little} barrier. {For me personally}, that meant plugging my {cellular phone} charger {within an} outlet faaaaaar {from} my bedroom, {therefore i} had {to obtain} up and {have a} long walk {to be able to} check it. That {became} {a large} enough hurdle {to avoid} me from checking {texts} and email late {during the night}.
• Cover all {resources of} light. When I was in {senior high school}, I covered my bedroom windows with two layers of aluminum foil and black construction paper. My room was pitch black, and I slept amazing {every evening}. Eliminate or {hide} every single {way to obtain} light in your room – including digital clocks and that little green light on smoke detectors – {and that means you|which means you} can’t see anything. Then wear a sleep mask.
• Lower the temperature to 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooler your room, {the higher}. Sleep in less clothing {to avoid} overheating {at night time}.
• Install Flux on computer. {May be the} {white colored} light {of one’s} {screen} keeping you awake night? This free app will automatically change the hue {of one’s} {screen} to a sunset-like amber. {Strongly suggested}.

Next, I had {to produce a} few tweaks to my {day to day routine}. It took several nights {to regulate}, but {inside a} week, I was sleeping {just like a|such as a} champion and cured my anxiety:

• 5:00 PM – {Forget about} caffeine, aspartame, or alcohol. If you’re drinking coffee, {energy beverages}, or diet sodas after 5pm, then you’re {rendering it} much harder {for the} body to wind down. Those stimulants {stay in} your {bloodstream} {for a number of|for many} hours and keep {your time} up. Cut them out. Also, {it might seem} your evening glass of wine is {assisting you} relax and feel sleepy. {The truth is} that it’s disrupting your deep sleep. The safe bet {would be to} just drink water after 5pm.
• 9:00 PM – {Forget about} screens. {In the event that you} truly want {to really get your} anxiety {in order}, you’re {have to} {to accomplish} something very difficult… You’re {likely to} {need to} stop {considering} ALL screens – {mobile phones}, laptops, TV’s – after 9:00 pm. {I understand}, it’s crazy. {Nonetheless it} works. {It requires} {plenty of} discipline {to avoid} {considering} screens, {therefore i} use the Commit app ($2.99) to remind me {to place} my {cellular phone} away at 9pm.

• 10:00 PM – {Incomparable} bed! {Every evening} at exactly 10:00 pm, I’d {strat to get} ready for bed. I’d stop whatever I was doing, hit {the toilet}, brush my teeth, and change out of my day clothes. I was dead {seriously interested in} this rule. {Even though} I was {in the center of} a conversation or {close to the} end of {an excellent} movie, I’d abruptly {get right up} and walk to {the toilet}. {WHEN I} finished {planning}, I’d climb {during intercourse} {to learn} fiction for {quarter-hour|a quarter-hour}, {and} I’d {switch off} the lights and {concentrate on} the rhythm of my breath until I fell asleep.

How {you should use} {this technique}: {All the|Every one of the} suggestions above {can help you} wind down earlier, {however the} key is {planning} {at exactly the same time} {every evening}. That’s what sets you in motion toward actually {getting back in} bed, and ultimately re-trains {the body} to crave sleep at {an acceptable} hour.

If you take your bedtime seriously, {you may get} back into {a reliable} sleep routine {inside a} week.

System 3: Guilt-Free Play, Every Day

Exercise {is really a} proven {solution to} reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. But what’s {the very best} type of exercise?

Running on the treadmill for {one hour}?

Doing {a huge selection of} sit-ups?

Self-inflicted torture via P90X?

How about ‘None of {the aforementioned}.’ {All those} activities are lame and miserable. People only do them {since they} think {getting back in} shape {must} {be considered a} punishment.

Exercise doesn’t {need to} {feel just like} work; {it could be} play (i.e. physical movement that gets your heart pumping, {makes you} sweat, and is legitimately fun {for you personally} {as well as your} friends).

In my experience, {the very best} {types of} anxiety-reducing play are outdoor sports. {They’re} social ({several} person {is necessary}), mildly competitive, and cause everyone to break a sweat in {the new} air and sunshine (getting 20-minutes of sunlight does {the body} good). However, any fun play activity {that can be done} {frequently} {together with your} friends should work.

Each day, I {reserve} {at the least} 20-minutes {to accomplish} one of my favorite play activities. I actually scheduled a recurring daily event {in my own} calendar called Play! I started taking frequent trips to the park with an Aerobie Flying Ring – {a set} rubber disc that flies really fast. The Aerobie was {ideal for} playing catch because I had to {contact} a friend {to become listed on} me, and we’d both {find yourself} {playing around} while chasing it.

I also played homerun derby with my friend Tucker Max on the weekend, took trips to the driving range, did {one hour} of {interval training} a few times {every week}, and {enrolled in} improv comedy classes (3 hours every Monday).

How {you should use} {this technique}: Make Play {section of} your {day to day routine}. Schedule 20-minutes of Play in your calendar (that’s {only one} 1.3% {of one’s} day!) so you’re regularly having guilt-free fun doing {a task} {you like}, with people {you love}.

Oh, {and something} more thing… {LOG OFF} YOUR PHONE.

How often {can you} see people {achieving this} while they’re {said to be} {enjoying} friends?

If you {wish} {to really get your} anxiety {in order}, {you will need} to disconnect. If the lure of {the web} is too tempting, just turn your {cellular phone} OFF. {I understand} it’s fun {to talk about} {your daily life}, but {social media marketing} is destructive when it’s compulsively used to gloss over how lonely and insecure {you are feeling}. {Quit} to convince everyone on Instagram that {you’ve got a} wonderful life. Face {the truth that} you don’t, then go play {in order to} {ensure it is} better.

System 4: Protein + Vegetable + Healthy Side, {for each and every|for each} Meal

When I was at the height of my anxiety, I was regularly {eating foodstuffs} that I knew were toxic {on a regular basis} – {junk food}, {processed foods}, ice cream, pizza, alcohol… But I didn’t care. I was just so {in need of} {fast and simple} {types of} comfort, {despite the fact that} they ultimately made me feel worse. {The meals} highs disappeared as quickly {because they} came, and I’d {elope} {to get} another stimulant to numb my bad feelings.

Then I swung in {the entire} opposite direction, and got ridiculously rigid about my diet. {I’d} only eat {fruit and veggies}. {The effect}? I lost 25 pounds, and felt lethargic and depressed.

It took {some time} for me {to obtain} back in {a wholesome} {diet program}. What helped me most was copying my healthy friends’ {diet plan}. {I simply} studied what healthy people ate, {and} I copied them. {Following a} {couple of weeks} of regularly emulating the routines of my healthiest friends, I was feeling and looking vigorous again.

Here’s the eating regimen I eventually settled on. I still eat {in this manner} now, and {Personally i think} great:

MORNING – 8:00 AM

• Skip breakfast. {The miracles of water} to 1/2 {sit down elsewhere}, {only} that ({an excessive amount of} caffeine is bad news for anxious people)
• Take Vitamin B and fish oil. {They are} vital nutrients {your} brain needs to function properly, and they’re depleted when you’re {consumed with stress} for {extended periods of time}. I started taking {both these} {at exactly the same time}, {also it} took {in regards to a} week {. 5} before my mind felt noticeably calmer and lighter.

AFTERNOON – 12:00 PM

Lunch is {made up of} three ingredients: (1) Protein + (1) Vegetable + (1) Healthy Side. It’s basically a variation of the Paleo diet. {They are} the foods I {most regularly} eat:

• PROTEIN: Grass-fed beef, free range chicken, cage free pastured eggs, wild Alaskan salmon
• VEGETABLE: Kale, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, bok choy
• HEALTHY SIDE: Avocado, almonds, blueberries, cherries, black beans, sauerkraut, sweet potatoes

I frequently assemble my lunch at Whole Foods’ salad bar (bit expensive, {I understand}, but my compliance for {sticking with} my diet when eating at WF is 100%). I also eat gluten-free Thai dishes (meat and vegetables) and occasionally have Chipotle’s burrito bowl with fajita mix and steak (no rice, no queso).

For drinks, I only have water. No beer, no diet sodas (aspartame is poison), no {juice} or beverages containing milk. Just water.

Notes: Have {just as much} of {the main one} protein {and something} vegetable as {you need}. Limit {the amount of|the number of} your healthy side {to 1} handful. Eat until you’re full. Cook and eat with {a lot of} KerryGold Irish butter (healthy {way to obtain} fat).

Foods {that aren’t} allowed: No bread, crackers, pasta, rice, fried foods, {junk food}, pizza, chips, popcorn, candy, ice cream, soda, beer… Basically anything that’s {manufactured from} wheat, sugar, or chemical ingredients you can’t pronounce

({If you like} {to possess} more leeway to cheat, follow Tim Ferriss’ highly effective Slow Carb Diet – it’s another variation of Paleo eating, which helped both of my parents lose 20+ pounds of fat {in a single} month).

EVENING – 7:00 PM

Same rules as lunch: (1) Protein  + (1) Vegetable + (1) Healthy Side. Eat with {a wholesome} {way to obtain} fat, like KerryGold butter. Drink water.

That’s it! Just two big meals {each day} – three ingredients – at noon and 7pm.

Pretty simple, right?

How {you should use} {this technique}: Try eating {in this manner} – protein, vegetable, healthy side – at lunch and dinner for {another} {fourteen days}. Assess {the method that you|the way you} feel {by the end} {of every} week.

Don’t chastise yourself {in the event that you} break {the guidelines} {and also have} some {processed foods} {once in a while}. You’re just {looking to get} in the habit of eating healthy meals, while cutting {a lot of the} toxic crap {from the} diet. Your transition to {a wholesome} diet {ought to be} gradual and forgiving, {instead of} abrupt and perfect ({that is} impossible).

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Final Thoughts

Anxiety {accumulates} slowly {as time passes}, {over time} {every day}, until it becomes a glaring problem. It’s not {likely to} disappear overnight, {nonetheless it} can evaporate {in the event that you} {concentrate on} making {your daily life} {a bit} better {each day}. And {how you} {do this} is by {establishing} systems that work {on your side}.

Systems are what {allow you to get} in {a wholesome} routine, while eliminating options {which are} {causing you to} feel worse (e.g. {the news headlines}, unhealthy food, checking screens late {during the night}).

Don’t {be prepared to} be {back again to} normal overnight (you won’t). And don’t {be prepared to} do everything perfectly (you won’t). Just {setup|create} these four simple systems:

1. No news
2. Quality sleep
3. Daily play
4. Healthy meals @ 12p and 7p

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