To live life is to experience anxiety — whether we’re agonizing over that big promotion or worrying that we accidentally said something awkward at a dinner party. In those moments, your mind can be your worst enemy, descending into a series of “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios that only make a situation more stressful. It’s in those moments that practicing awareness and taking a deep breath can course correct your brain and put an end to that needless doom spiral.
These 10 quotes offer encouragement for quieting the anxious mind. So take a deep breath and soak in the calming wisdom of famous writers, philosophers, and leaders.
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.
Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answers.
Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it. If we’re frantic, life will be frantic. If we’re peaceful, life will be peaceful.
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
You cannot perceive beauty, but with a serene mind.
The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat.
The nearer a man comes to a calm mind the closer he is to strength.
Keep Calm and Carry On
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Featured Image Credit: nutt/ Shutterstock
Darren Orf
Darren lives in Portland, Oregon, has two cats, and writes about science, technology, nature, and history.
