I’ve felt pretty stressed lately as I’ve been learning about book launches, pitches, press releases, tip sheets, and so on. It’s a dizzying array of information! I keep saying to myself, “I was a Psychology major, not a business school grad!”
Since most of my book budget went to wonderful editors and designers, I decided to study up and do the promotional work myself. Often I worry whether “I’m doing it right.” Ahhh: the achievers’ dilemma: We try so hard, it can be tough to let go of the results.
Yes, I get the irony: The book’s title is “Worry Less Now.” But now you can see why I’ve needed every one of those 50 tools!
Anyway, I needed to do something to get my head screwed on straight, so I turned to mindful meditation. A few years ago, I took the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course with Madeline Ebelini at Integrative Mindfulness. After eight 2 & 1/2-hour live sessions, I finally began to get the hang of it.
Research by the developers of the course (Jon Kabat-Zinn & his colleagues at University of Massachusetts Medical Center) shows that consistent use of mindfulness meditation actually DECREASES the area in the brain responsible for stress and anxiety. Amazing! The MBSR course is offered in person all over the world and also online. Click here for more information.
The meditation I used today, “Mindfulness for Releasing Anxiety,” by Glenn Harrold, is offered free on the app, Insight Timer.
After 20 minutes, I got up feeling centered, confident, peaceful, calm, and receptive to intuitive nudges. I can relax, take action, and let go of perfectionism. Whew! What a relief!
PS: I get no kickback from Insight Timer; it’s just a helpful tool I share with you.
Gigi Langer, Ph.D. Based on her work in psychology and personal experience in therapy, recovery, and a variety of spiritual teachings, Gigi is a sought-after speaker and award-winning writer and professor. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Education from Stanford University.
Gigi lives happily in Michigan with her husband, Peter, and her cat, Murphy. Her new book, 50 Ways to Worry Less Now: Reject Negative Thinking to Find Peace, Clarity, and Connection will be released in early 2018. Learn more at https://gigilanger.com/new-book-worry-less-now/