Are you feeling the effects of increased anxiety and stress? Here's a very beneficial and simple exercise you can do right now to help: the Butterfly Hug.
The butterfly hug is an immediate stress-reducing technique, and is something you can do right now to decrease anxiety and lower your heart rate. Here's how to butterfly hug yourself:
Cross your hands across your chest, with your middle fingers resting on your collarbones
Raise your elbows to create your butterfly wings
Slowly tap hands on your chest, alternating left and right
While tapping, breathe in through your nose and exhale through your nose until you start to feel some relief.
You can also choose to do this while sitting down and placing the palm of your hands above your lap and over your left and right thighs. As you are sitting down, bring your hands above your legs and engage in left right tapping.
Notice what is coming up for you: Observe it, Describe it and engage.
You can speak outloud the thoughts and then engage in the positive affirmation or scripture. Example as I am sitting down, breathing in through my nose and exhaling out through my mouth. The thought is " I am not good enough"; The truth is, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". Repeat the affirmation or scripture over your self and engage in the tapping.
You can also engage in the tapping while speaking out loud and gaze spotting on a resource spot, such as a tree, or something stationary. Allow yourself to focus on the resource, do not deny the negative belief, but engage the resource by stating cancel that and applying the truth.
This can be done wherever you are comfortable, standing, sitting in a chair or lying down, eyes open or closed.
