Feeling stressed?

You're not alone. Based on its most recent "State of Our Nation" polling, the American Psychological Association reports the country is at its highest stress level ever.

The primary causes of our worries: the future of the nation (63 percent), money (62 percent), and work (61 percent).

The good news is that it is fairly easy to get this stress and anxiety under control.

Anxieties are always about future events or situations where your brain wants to avoid the physical or emotional discomfort of possible future negative consequences. Anxieties are generally not about danger in the present moment.

A certain level of anxiety can be useful, helping you take swift action when needed. It can be a great internal warning system. But, many people use their imagination to turn anxious energy into stifling, debilitating fear. Left unchecked, such fear can control you.

But you needn't let that happen. Follow these steps from our Anxiety-Free Paraliminal to turn your anxiety into personal strength and power:
1. Consider your current situation and level of anxiety. On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate it? A range of 4 to 7 is manageable and can serve you well as you redirect this energy. Think of anxiety as energy flowing through your nervous system. Feelings of anxiety are similar to feelings of excitement—the difference is in our attitude toward it.
2. Imagine what you could do to physically, mentally, and emotionally turn your anxiety into excitement. Visualize your desired outcome so you feel it with all your senses. When you use your imagination well, you fill your body and mind with power and confidence, dramatically increasing the likelihood of your success.
3. Take action. Do one thing today to help you take control. Even one small step or task will lead to a greater sense of security about your current situation and leave you breathing easier.
It may help to remember something Einstein said: "Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another." Change your feelings of anxiety to feelings of excitement and you'll get your stress under control.

To help you train your brain to be the biggest ally in the accomplishment of your goals, I recommend you listen to the Anxiety-Free Paraliminal. Simply push play, close your eyes, relax, and listen. This closed-eye process activates your "whole mind" with a precise blend of music and words to help you get the most out of every minute.

To learn more about Anxiety-Free and all of our other Paraliminal programs, please click here.