Keeping calm and living well is often easier said than done. Struggling with anxiety can be difficult. It does not, however, have to dominate your life. Instead, follow these tips to reduce anxiety.
Anxiety Tip #1: Don’t Avoid It
It’s tempting to try to push the anxiety away or hide from it. Anxiety is not a fun emotion so avoiding it makes sense. Yet there’s only so much hiding that we can do before the anxiety comes back. Why not just accept that you are feeling anxious right now? Acknowledging your feelings in the moment actually helps you feel less anxious, as you don’t have to create additional stress to avoid it. Rather, face the fact that right now you are anxious and go from there.
Anxiety Tip #2: Ask Questions
Once you acknowledge that you are anxious, start asking yourself these questions:
- Why am I feeling anxious?
- Is it logical for me to be anxious right now?
- Is this an immediate problem, or something that I can address later?
- What can I do to cope with this anxiety?
- Is there someone I can talk to about this?
Knowing what to ask yourself helps you to process your feelings and come up with solutions to help reduce anxiety.
Anxiety Tip #3: Keep a Journal
Journaling allows you to get the thoughts and feelings that are in your head down on paper and to process what you’re experiencing. It’s a lot more helpful and productive than keeping everything bottled up inside with nowhere to go.
Anxiety Tip #4: Practice Art
Along with journaling, art is a great tool for coping with anxiety. Whether it’s painting, drawing, music, photography, or dance, art helps you process your emotions and reduce anxiety.
Anxiety Tip #5: Create a Calming Space
Design your own little sanctuary where you can relax and feel calm. This could be a corner in your room with comfortable pillows and a soft light or your garage workshop where you can work on a project. Even a treehouse! Whatever works for you.
Anxiety Tip #6: Spend Time in Nature
The natural world has a calming effect, and getting outside by hiking, biking, or just going for a walk is a great way to clear your head. Also, exercise by itself is another way to cope with anxiety.
Anxiety Tip #7: Have Fun!
We all like to do things that we enjoy. Whether it’s curling up with a good book, playing a sport, or working with our hands, doing fun things is a healthy way to unwind. It also allows us to shift our attention away from what is causing our anxiety. This is different than ignoring the problem. Instead, we can get back into a more positive headspace and be able to address the issue with a better frame of mind.
Anxiety Tip #8: Stay Positive!
Having fun also helps us to stay positive and not get sucked into the negative spiral of anxiety. You can also practice smiling, laughing, and expressing gratitude to others. A positive mindset puts us in a place where we feel more capable of facing our anxiety, rather than a negative mindset. In addition, consider who you spend your time with and whether they are a positive or negative influence on your feelings.
Anxiety Tip #9: Talk to Someone
Talking helps. It’s comforting to know that there is a person who:
- Cares about you.
- Is willing to listen.
- Can refrain from passing judgement.
- Has the ability to be supportive and caring.
Another way to reduce anxiety is working with a counselor who understands anxiety issues.
Anxiety doesn’t have to dominate your life. By following these tips, and if necessary working with a counselor, you can reduce the anxiety and the stress in your life.
Denise Kautzer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a Certified Public Accountant whose practice is located in St. Paul, MN. You can view her website at www.denisekautzer.com or contact her at denise@denisekautzer.com