Doing mindful check-ins can help you refocus your attention to the cause of your financial turmoil instead of being in reactive mode.
These simple steps can help:
Become aware of your thoughts and bodily sensations
- Are your thoughts factual or a story?
- Are they causing panic or stability?
- How does your body feel?
- Is it tense or relaxed?
Then use a method to stabilize the body and mind:
Stop – become aware of the body and stay with what’s rising without judgment.
- Stopping allows you to become fully aware and begin to connect your body and mind. This reestablishes awareness and diminishes mental activity. However, if the mind is too scattered, you may need to use a more tangible approach – either of the two below will work, depending on your state of mind.
Breath – take a deep breath
- Breathing deeply will relax your body and help you regain consciousness; thereby, enabling you to make a wiser decision.
Recite – repeat a simple phrase
- Reciting a simple phrase removes the train of thoughts and concentrates the mind.
Once you have become stable, reflect and decide if action is needed.
Seeking Help
If you are depressed, anxious, or have panic attacks, find a health professional who can help you.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National can provide free referrals. They are open 24/7, 365 days a year.
- Call: (800) 662-Help (4357).
- Visit: SAMHSA’s National online treatment locator
- Text: Your zip code to 435748
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact 988 for help. The calls are free, confidential, and they are open 24/7 to help you navigate difficult emotions.
Attend a Workshop
If you are interested in attending a live webinar on improving your relationship with your finances, please visit my events.
Related Posts
| Sustaining Mindfulness Through Challenging Situations | Perseverance – How to Continue When We Get Stuck? | ||||
| Sticking to Our Method | How to Create Mindfulness Around Our Finances |
Hanh, T. N. (2006). Understanding our mind. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.
Yen, S. (1987). Faith in mind. Elmhurst, NY: Dharma Drum Publications.
Yen, S. (2008). The method of no-method. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications, Inc.
The Sixth’s Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra (Sure, H., Liang, Y., Huang, A., Shih, Y.,
Lew, M., & Verhoeven, M.J. Trans.; 4th ed.). (2014). Buddhist Text Translation Society.