If you're anything like me, you know what anxiety feels like. Your mind starts to race, there's a shift in your breathing, you feel your heart beating, maybe your hands start to shake. You feel it inside your mind and your body. The rushng thoughts, the panic, the self doubt, the racing heart, the tightness in your chest, the feelings rising into your throat as your face turns red.....

I've been there, in fact for a lot of my life. It was actually my every day. If it wasn't a full on panic attack, it was a slight constant whisper. A client recently asked me what my last panic attack was, and I was happy to say that I couldn't really think of one. Gratefully, it isn't part of my daily anymore. You see, now I have my tools and I am able to manage anxiety quickly when it comes on. I experience it as it starts in my head, and I can quickly reach for one of my tools and take myself out of the spin before it even enters my physical body.

And as luck would have it, my next night was met with, of course, anxiety running through my head and body. I had the opportunity and honor of speaking on a panel about wellness. I went into it confdent, even excited. There were four of us on the panel, and I was the last to speak.

It started with us answering who we are and what we do. Everything was going well, and then the second person on the panel went and he was speaking about breathwork as well, and he was smart - like really smart - and so the panic came on. It started in my head: "oh no, he is so smart, everyone is going to think you are so dumb". Then my breath started to shorten, my heart started to race, my palms became instantly sweaty and I was about to freak out. I had to get out of it quick, or there was going to be a big problem.

So I did what I know best, and I turned to my breath. I started to slow my breath down, counting my inhale and my exhale. I started focusing on putting my breath into my belly and out of my chest. Within a few moments, I felt my heart slow down, the sweat stop and I was able to get a hold of my thoughts. I reminded myself that yes, he is smart, but that doesn't mean I am not. I reminded myself of all the work I have done, how much I know and why I was asked to be part of this panel. By the time the mic finally got to me, I was calm. If that had happened to me years ago, I wouldn't have been able to get out. I would have shakenly asnswered the question quickly and remained quiet for the rest of the panel.

Moments like this are exactly why I'm so excited and honored to teach my workshop; Breathe It Out: Free Yourself From Anxiety and Step Into Ease on Sunday, March 24, from 7 - 8:30 PM at Reflections Yoga. Together, we will work to understand what anxiety is,how your mind works, how to control it, and learn how to get ourselves out when we're caught in a trigger. It is so important to learn, process, and practice together. We will learn the tools to step into a life of ease, and you will see that you are not alone. Scroll down to see all the magic included...

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