Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so let's talk
about anxiety.
You know, something that Ithink we all deal with from time
to time.
It's like that feeling when youjust you start to feel like
it's too much.
You know you need to regaincontrol.
Well, you've come to the rightplace, because we're diving into
a fascinating tool that canhelp with that.
We're talking about journaling.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Ah, journaling.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, you've shared
50 journal prompts to help with
anxiety by Lestallion with us,which is fantastic, it's a good
one.
But okay, 50 prompts, that's alot.
That's a lot to handle, yeah,so instead of getting lost in
this sea of prompts, we're goingto do what we do best here a
deep dive.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I like it, a deep
dive.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
We're going to
uncover the strategies behind
these prompts and see howjournaling can become less of a
chore and more like a roadmap tounderstanding and managing
anxiety.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah, that's exactly
it.
It's all about understanding.
Think of it this way we oftentalk about feeling overwhelmed
by anxiety, but what if we couldshift that feeling to one of
empowerment?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Ooh, I like that From
overwhelmed to empowered.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
And you know, looking
at how Lestallion structures
these prompts, it's like they'vealready kind of started us on
that path.
They're grouped into thesereally interesting categories
understanding your anxiety, youranxiety management tools.
They even have one for anxietyin relationships and looking
forward.
It's not just like a randomlist of questions, it's more
like a guided exploration,wouldn't you say?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It is a fantastic
observation.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
And it actually
mirrors the techniques used in
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
CBT yeah, a common
approach to treating anxiety.
See, by breaking anxiety downinto these specific areas,
you're encouraged to examineyour thoughts, feelings and
behaviors in a more organizedand insightful way.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It's like using a
magnifying glass to get a
clearer view of what's reallygoing on.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So it's more than
just venting in your diary.
This is about uncovering thosehidden patterns, those aha
moments that can lead to realsolutions.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Precisely.
Let's say, you consistentlyfeel anxious on Sunday evenings.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Ah, Sunday scaries.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Sunday scaries.
Journaling prompted by thesecategories might help you
realize this anxiety stems fromwork-related stress about the
week ahead.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Oh, interesting.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
That realization is
incredibly powerful because it
allows you to start developingcoping strategies specifically
targeted at that Sunday nightanxiety.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
It's like becoming
your own anxiety detective.
I love it.
Okay, so speaking of those ahamoments, let's look at some of
these prompts.
In the understanding youranxiety section, one that really
stood out to me was what timeof day is your anxiety the worst
?
It seems so simple, but when Ireally think about it my anxiety
(02:39):
definitely spikes in themorning, and I bet it has
something to do with thatcaffeine kick.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
You're onto something
there, and that's a perfect
example of how these prompts canreveal those hidden connections
we were just talking about.
It's not just about pittingdown when your anxiety is at its
peak.
It's about understanding why,for example, cortisol, a hormone
related to stress, is naturallyhigher in the morning for most
people.
So if you add caffeine on topof that, it's like you're
(03:05):
amplifying those physiologicalresponses.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Adding fuel to the
fire.
No wonder those morning emailsmake me just want to climb the
walls.
So it's not just the caffeine,it's the timing, the cortisol,
the emails it's all connected.
And this is where journaling,guided by the right questions,
helps us see those connections.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Exactly.
It's like piecing together apuzzle and once you start seeing
those patterns, you can startmaking changes to your routine
or habits that can really make adifference.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Now you know I'm all
about practical solutions, so
this leads me to another promptthat grabbed my attention.
This one's from the yourAnxiety Management Tools section
.
It asks describe your safespace what makes it comforting?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
It's interesting,
right.
That's a great point.
We often overlook the power ofour senses in managing anxiety.
This prompt encourages us totap into something called
sensory grounding.
It's about intentionallyfocusing on what we see, hear,
smell, touch and taste to helpcalm our nervous system.
(04:07):
When you describe your safespace in detail maybe it's the
smell of old books and yourfavorite reading nook, or the
sound of rain on the windowsyou're essentially creating a
mental retreat you can accesswhenever anxiety hits.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Oh, it's like
creating your own mental
sanctuary.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
And I think this ties
in beautifully with a prompt
from the anxiety andrelationships category that
really resonated with me.
It asks what's something youwish others knew about your
anxiety?
Sometimes explaining what'sgoing on in our heads can feel
impossible, right.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Absolutely.
Anxiety is often called aninvisible illness.
For a reason we can't alwaysarticulate what we're
experiencing, and that can leadto misunderstandings with loved
ones.
This prompt encourages us tobridge that communication gap.
Even if we can't fully explainanxiety, we can share those
sensory details or specificsituations to trigger it.
(04:58):
It's about helping othersunderstand our experience, even
if they haven't lived itthemselves.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It's about building
empathy and connection, which is
so important when it comes tomanaging anxiety.
We don't have to do it alone.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Exactly, and that's a
perfect example of how these
prompts can help us move fromsimply understanding our anxiety
to actively managing it withindifferent areas of our lives so
we've explored some reallypowerful prompts here, but how
do we take this understandingand turn it into a practical
toolkit for managing anxiety?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
we've got all these
insights swirling around.
How do we make them actionable?
It's like we've been gatheringall these ingredients and now
it's time to cook up amasterpiece, right like we're
talking about turning thosejournal entries into a recipe
for a calmer, more in controlyou.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
I like that analogy
and, just like with a recipe,
the key is to break it down intomanageable steps.
That's where the lookingforward section of Lestallion's
prompts comes in.
It's all about taking whatwe've learned about ourselves,
our triggers, our copingmechanisms, those safe spaces we
talked about, and using thatknowledge to create positive
change.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
So it's not just
about reflecting on the past.
It's about designing the future.
We want a future with lessanxiety and more peace, and it
sounds like these prompts canhelp us map out that journey.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Absolutely yeah.
A great example from thatsection is the prompt what is
one thing you can do tomorrow tolessen your anxiety?
It seems so straightforward.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
But that's the beauty
of it it encourages you to
identify one small, achievableaction you can take.
Maybe it's practicing deepbreathing for five minutes
before bed or setting aside timefor a relaxing activity.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
It's about taking
those bite-sized actions
consistently.
Instead of trying to overhaulour entire lives, we're making
small, sustainable changes.
I can see how empowering thatwould feel.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Exactly, and that's
what makes journaling such a
powerful tool for managinganxiety.
It helps shift from feelingoverwhelmed to feeling empowered
.
Remember, you don't have totackle all 50 prompts at once.
Start with one category thatresonates with you, spend a week
exploring those prompts, seewhat insights emerge.
Then, when you're ready, moveon to another category.
(07:02):
It's a journey ofself-discovery and you get to
set the pace.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
It's like we said at
the beginning it's about
creating a personalized toolkitfor managing anxiety.
These prompts are just thestarting point.
It's up to you to take thatknowledge and use it to create
the life you want.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
That's what this deep
dive has been all about.
Remember, you are capable ofunderstanding and managing your
anxiety.
It might not always be easy,but by taking those small steps,
by listening to yourself andexploring those deeper insights,
you can move towards a calmer,more fulfilling life.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And you know what I
have a feeling your next journal
entry is going to be amazing.