Hardcore Self Help- Fuck Anxiety
Page 6
Next, you are going to focus on the muscles in your back. Draw in a nice deep breath and as you do, arch your back slightly and tighten the muscles there. Hold for just a moment and then release as you slowly return to your original position.
Move up to the muscles in your shoulders. Often it feels as though we carry a great weight in our shoulders. Take care of them now by breathing in deeply and pulling your shoulders up toward your ears. Keep this tensions in your shoulders and neck for a few seconds and then slowly return to your previous position while exhaling. Allow the tension to be carried away with your breath.
Feel the heaviness in your body now. You should feel as though the furniture you are on is supporting you more fully than when you began. Your muscles are increasingly becoming soft and relaxed.
Now it’s time to let go of the tension in your arms and your hands. You can tighten your forearms by raising your wrists and bending your hands backward toward your body. Take a deep breath and tense your forearm muscles in this way. Hold it for a few moments and then exhale fully as you let go of that tension.
Next, take a long breath and curl your wrists up toward your shoulders to tense up the muscles in your upper arm. Hold this for as long as you feel comfortable and then release your breath as you slowly lower your arms.
Your hands also deserve attention. As you breathe in, clench your fists tightly. Hold this tension to the best of your ability. Exhale and slowly open your hands. Take a moment to allow the blood to flow back into your fingers and enjoy the sensation as they become limp and relaxed.
You are nearing a state of complete relaxation.
Now tighten the muscles in your face by squeezing your eyes shut and clenching your lips together. As you do, breathe in full and hold it. Now breathe out and relax all of the muscles in your face. Allow your facial expression to become soft and effortless.
You are now relaxed from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Take a few more nice deep breaths and imagine them cleansing your entire body. You are free from stress. You are calm. You are safe.
Please take as much time as you would like to enjoy this relaxation. When you are ready, you can open your eyes and return to your day or you may fall asleep.
Informal References by Chapter
Intro:
● I probably made these books up. Any real titles are purely coincidental.
● "Moral of the Story" from the album Cardboard Castles by Watsky, 2013.
Ch 1:
● I'm aware that I mixed my comic book universes. Hulk is Marvel and Flash is DC. Deal with it.
● Key players in cognitive behavioral therapy include Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck.
Ch 3:
● Bob Ross should need no introduction, but you can learn a lot from his theory on happy accidents.
Ch 4:
● Level 5 Vegan: someone who doesn't eat anything with a shadow. From an episode of The Simpsons.
Ch 5:
● The Matrix is a great movie. Maybe not the whole trilogy, but dat Matrix tho.
● Drive and Chrome both by Google. Thanks Google!
● Siri is the voice recognition robot concierge by Apple.
● Four Hour Work Week is a book by Tim Ferriss that teaches you how to work more efficiently, so that you can spend more time doing the things that you love with the people that you love.
Ch 6:
● The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, 2006.
● The Kool-Aide guy makes a great cameo in Family Guy
Ch 7:
● The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is the handbook that psychologists use to diagnose mental disorders. Don't diagnose yourself.
Ch 10:
● At the time of writing, Taylor Swift just put out her new single "Shake It Off" and it's way too damn catchy.
● The octagon is the arena of combat for the mixed martial arts organization UFC.
● I lost many years of my life to Diablo II. I regret nothing.