Mar 11, 2022
Have you struggled with worry, stress, or anxiety?
Today's guest, Caris Snider, shares anxiety coping skills. Caris is an author, speaker, and certified professional coach. She shares her own personal story of misunderstanding the struggle that many people experience with anxiety until she suffered herself.
Caris examines the passage in Mark 14 showing how Jesus felt overwhelmed to the point of death while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. She encourages us to recognize how Christ understands our issues and demonstrates the way to reach out and get support from God and others.
We discuss the divine prescription of reaching up and reaching out when we face emotional battles. Caris and I also talk about the different levels of support we depend upon in times of need. We often worry about burdening others, but if we share well with others we open an opportunity for mutual blessings.
We discuss the importance of discerning the capacity of the vessels into which we pour our expressed needs. We can ask for prayer support from safe people in our faith community. If our suffering requires in-depth and longer sessions of emotional nurturing, a professional can respond most effectively and offer us a beneficial level of help.
Caris recommends deep breathing exercises to help us pause and move from frantic thinking toward more rational thoughts.
Snider also emphasizes moving from "what if" thoughts to "what is" mindsets. We discuss the counterproductive nature of trying to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Caris presents the helpful tip of journaling to empty anxious thoughts and replace the fears with truth. She suggests seeking scriptures to use as the replacement thoughts.
Snider highlights the power of gratitude, citing the transformation she has witnessed after just a minute of focusing on gratitude. We discuss the holistic impact of praise and thankfulness.
Caris explains the impact of self-care on anxiety coping. She lists the benefits of physical activity, limiting exposure to certain social media content, and getting adequate rest. Caris encourages listeners to practice healthy margins and learn to say, "no."
We also discuss the impact of caffeine, hydration, and nutrition on our wellbeing.
Caris and I emphasize discovering what works best for you. She encourages listeners to remain patient and persistent, not allowing comparison to steal their joy.
Connect with Caris by visiting her website, carissnider.com. She is also accessible on social media (carissnider) or on YouTube. Her Anxiety for Elephants books, for adults or tweens, are available on her website, on Amazon, or through major book retailers.