This giveaway is now closed.
Thank you so much to everyone who participated, and congrats to the winners!
Today’s post is all about anxiety. There is even a contest! (Keep reading to learn all about it.)
So what exactly is anxiety anyway, and how do you know if you suffer from it? As someone who has felt anxious since I can remember, I would say that it’s a nervous feeling that stays with you – a fluttering in your chest that feels tight and tense. And I would also say that if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, most likely you aren’t suffering from it.
I’m definitely not a licensed professional, but based on my own personal experience with anxiety I would say that it’s caused from spending too much time in the past and future and not enough time in the present. And it comes from the need to want to change your past and control your future. But you know that this is impossible to do, which is where the anxiety comes in. This may not be the textbook definition of it, but it’s what I’ve found to be true in my own life.
Growing up, I was always nervous. Except I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to call attention to myself. In school, I tried to stay five steps ahead of the teacher – reading ahead so that I could prepare just in case she called on me, rehearsing my answers just in case I needed to speak, looking like I was engrossed in my book so that I wouldn’t be noticed, dreading any class where I would have to go in front of the classroom… you get the point. Shy – yes. Introverted – yes. Sensitive – yes. Anxious – yes. (On the inside.) On the outside, I appeared to be outgoing and extroverted – I guess it just seemed easier this way.
This continued for many years – feeling anxious and hiding it – until finally I couldn’t bottle it up anymore. I was too tired of pretending. And so I completely isolated myself for many years. In college, I sat in the back and rarely spoke to anyone. I avoided taking any class where I would need to give a speech. I took as many independent study/correspondence courses as my university would allow. But I was still anxious.
And then I learned about the mind/body connection. I learned about breathing. And relaxing. And guided meditation. And yoga. And being aware of my thoughts. And facing my fears head on. And realizing that the physical symptoms that came up (fast heart, sweating, feeling faint, dry mouth) weren’t going to hurt me – they were manifestations from my mind. They were coming from my ego who was trying to keep me safe. But it wasn’t real. I didn’t have a tiger chasing me, and so there truly wasn’t a need to feel panic or anxiety (most of the time).
And while I still struggle with getting stuck in my mind (it seems to be my default setting), I now have tools and awareness that can bring me back into my heart and body. I honestly wouldn’t completely give up my anxiety – it is a part of me. But I am thankful that I am able to manage it so that it doesn’t have control over me.
Two friends of mine, Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer, created an entire website that’s dedicated to helping with anxiety. It’s called Anxiety Slayer. It’s a wonderful space with lots of helpful products and resources. If you are looking for ways to go from anxious to calm, definitely check it out.
To celebrate the release of their second album, Emotional Peace at the itunes music store and amazon.com, Shann and Ananga decided to have a contest!
Before I tell you about the contest, I just have to gush about this album first. This album contains over two hours of guided meditations and relaxing music. It’s so calming and immediately takes me out of my mind when I listen to it. In fact, I just listened to the Solace track because I’ve been very low on energy, and I did feel a calming pick-me-up after listening to it. If you’re someone who tends to feel easily anxious and overwhelmed (like me), then I definitely recommend this album (and all of their other products, too)!
This contest is fun, super easy to enter, and the prizes are amazing!
Three people will be chosen randomly to win 1 of 3 prizes (listed below). And the more you participate, the more chances you have to win!
The Prizes:
The Quick Anxiety Stopper – a simple anxiety relief tool you can use anywhere, anytime to quickly regain a sense of calm and control.
The Anxiety Rescue Kit – The Anxiety Rescue Kit contains a workbook to help you find your feet and guided relaxation exercises to help you find relief from mental overload and anxiety – especially if you feel you are experiencing a relapse or setback.
Relaxed and Resourceful – The first in a new series of self hypnosis relaxation downloads, Relaxed & Resourceful is designed to take you away from stress and anxiety and help you enter a deeply relaxed and positive state.
How to Enter:
Leave a review for Emotional Peace on iTunes or Amazon (1 entry)
Like Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Facebook (1 entry)
Follow Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Twitter (1 entry)
Tweet about the Giveaway (1 entry per day)
Share this link on Facebook (1 entry per day)
Leave a comment below telling us what you’ve done (if you are already a fan on Facebook/Twitter/Podcast subscriber those all count!) Everything you do gives you an extra entry! Do it all to increase your chance of winning!
This contest will end on 8/26 at 11:59 pm pst.
Good luck!
Congratulations to Anxiety Slayer for being named one of the 10 Best Anxiety Blogs of 2012!
I’m so happy for both of you! 🙂
P.S. – Have you signed up for the Coming Back to Life Ecourse yet? I would love for you to be a part of it! It starts on 10/1, but you’ll save $20 by registering before 9/1 + you’ll receive over $150 in bonus gifts! 🙂
P.P.S. – In the interest of full disclosure, I am an affiliate for the Anxiety Slayer offerings, which means that if you buy any of their products I will receive a percentage of the sale (thanks!). However, even if they didn’t have an affiliate program, I would still wholeheartedly support them!
Hi Jodi! Thanks so much for supporting our work at Anxiety Slayer and for co-hosting a contest with us. You are a love!
I did it all except the leaving a review. 😀 I haven’t heard the product so I can’t do that one. So that’s four. I’ll try to tweet it daily 😀
Thanks so much for your support!
This is awesome!! I did it all as well with the exception of the review. 4 for me today 🙂 and thanks Arwen for sharing it on Facebook so I could find out about it too!! Great contest.
Brightest Blessings
We are jazzed that you found us via Arwen! Thanks for playing.
I liked the two sites on Facebook. But I would love to hear the CD and some of the other products. Thank you.
Hi Chad, Yo can sample the new album at iTunes.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/emotional-peace-guided-meditations/id538842454
Hi Chad, You can sample the new album at iTunes.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/emotional-peace-guided-meditations/id538842454
This sounds wonderful. Anxiety still nips at my heels and quite frankly I’m tired of it. I want freedom!
Jodi, you always have the best people on your blog. They are such blessings. You’re really getting things done and I am so impressed!
Love!!!
Thank you for your kindness and thanks for participating in the contest.
Hiya!!
I did the following:
Like Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Facebook (1 entry)
Follow Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Twitter (1 entry)
Tweet about the Giveaway (1 entry per day)
Share this link on Facebook (1 entry per day)
Keeping my fingers crossed. I so love and need guided meditations. They really have changed my life. Don’t go a day without them. Always looking for great ones to add to my fave list.
Hello this is sounds so wonderful! This is what I’ve done:
Like Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Facebook (1 entry)
Follow Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Twitter (1 entry)
Keeping my fingers crossed 🙂
Love and light,
Alma da lua
Many congratulations Shann! would love to learn more about your products.
Jodi – thanks so much for writing it up – I resonate so much with almost every words you put there!
Lots of love and off to share now (will report back)
Yiye
Thanks for your support and kindness Yiye!
Jodi, I too have experienced anxiety and, as you say, you know when you’ve had it!!! For me, it turned out that my anxiety was largely a metaphor for where I’d found myself in life … unconsciously frightened that I was trapped and unable to get ‘home’. Having spent years working towards freeing and returning home to myself, I am now blessed to be free of the anxiety. Just my experience, which I thought I’d share.
Hi there:
What a wonderful program-anxiety slaying. I work alot with students who have anxiety and I always love learning more to keep myself calm LOL. With all the expectations around us to do more and be more, I love places that promote a peaceful and balanced approach to life.
I liked anxiety slayer on facebook.
I would love to win the contest and dig in deeper to those resources.
xo <3 Tanya
Hi Tanya, May the odds be ever in your favor! =)
I did the following:
Like Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Facebook (1 entry)
Follow Anxiety Slayer and Soul Speak on Twitter (1 entry)
Tweet about the Giveaway (1 entry per day)
Share this link on Facebook (1 entry per day)
This sounds like what I especially need right now.
Would love to enter, but am a consciencious objector to both Facebook and Twitter, and can’t review something I haven’t experienced : (
You are welcome to sample the new album at iTunes. =)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/emotional-peace-guided-meditations/id538842454
Jodi,
First of all, thanks for sharing your story. So glad you found a way to lessen the anxiety. Secondly…There is so much anxiety out there. I teach preschool and sadly anxiety starts that early. And we see much anxiety in their parents, too. This looks like an amazing contest. I’d love to win!! I’d share with the members of my school community! I’m already of a fan of your facebook page so I will the rest of the what needs to be done to be in the running.
Thanks Jodi!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story Jodi! I can definitely relate to the anxious feelings for as long as I can remember. Some days are better than others but I’ve accepted that it’s something that will always be with me, I just have to learn ways of coping.
I have followed Soul Speak and Anxiety Slayer on Twitter.
Thanks again..wishing everyone an anxiety-free day!
Thank you for sharing this resource! Anxiety is still too much a part of my life.
I’ve followed both twitter accounts, and liked both facebook pages, and look forward to hearing more from you!
The Emotional Peace cd looks wonderful…I’ll definitely check it out on iTunes. Really, nothing like guided meditations to assist with anxiety. Unfortunately, not on facebook or twitter so can’t participate. The tools sound intriguing, so I’ll check them out too. Thx for sharing these products…I’m excited!
Thank you for your interest Kaye!
Thanks to all who are participating in our contest. We are so happy you’ve come out to play! Big LOVE, Shann & Ananga
not sure if i missed the mark on this but hope i can get an entry in from my comment 🙂
Thank you so much to everyone who participated!
Here are the 3 winners:
Arwen – The Quick Anxiety Stopper
Charissa – The Anxiety Rescue Kit
Deborah – Relaxed and Resourceful
Congrats! 🙂