The label of my chamomile tea claims that the taste is like landing gently on a carpet of rose petals and lemongrass, weightlessly waiting to be steeped into a cup of serenity.
Compliments to that marketing copywriter. Who knew tea bags were so eloquent?
But as enjoyable as chamomile is, it’s still not a sustainable strategy for promoting calmness. Some research has shown modest benefits of the herb. Like the one study that helped sleep disturbed rats fall asleep quicker.
Overall, though, the ability of tea to reduce anxiety is clinically inconclusive.
This may come as disappointing news to those who are looking for a quick fix to their stress. People who think they can buy themselves a lower heartbeat.
But that’s not the way anxiety works. Take it from someone who has tried dozens and dozens stress reduction hacks, some of which helped, some of which did nothing, some of which gave me diarrhea for three years.
The only true path is making a concerted effort to bring calmness into our lives.
Think about the most peaceful person you know. Do you think their stability are the results of their choices and judgment, or because they drink the right tea?
No, their relaxed lifestyle is a result of prioritizing. They are stable and steady wherever they happen to be because they have a thoughtful system for managing anxiety that’s tailored to their unique temperament and environment.
If you want to steep yourself into a cup of serenity, there is no one thing that will take you there. Drink all the tea you want, but don’t stop there.
Instead of turning any one thing into your single point of success or failure, think of anxiety management an investment in your mental wellbeing that requires a diverse portfolio of assets.
And then broker that account as if your life depended on it.
Because it does.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your stress so familiar that you take it for granted?
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