Do you live with anxious and worrisome thoughts? Do they affect your sleep? Do they make you tense?
I sure have these problems. And I know that millions of others do too. In our technology-heavy, fast-paced, and uncertain world it’s getting harder and harder NOT to.
But I do believe there’s relief from it. In many cases, it’s a matter of finding what works in your own life to help you feel calm and secure. So, the following are tools that have helped me (a fellow anxiety sufferer) in different times of my life. I think they will help you too!
*Disclaimer: These techniques are based on personal experience (and research). I am not a healthcare professional. If you have severe anxiety please seek the help of a professional.
Use Affirming Words
When I was having kids, I miscarried 3 times. By the time I was pregnant with my last child, my anxiety was through the roof. For relief, I started repeating the phrase “if it’s meant to be, it will be” to myself at least 15x a day. (It’s from the popular country song). It is the main way that I stayed sane those 9 months.
Other helpful affirmations are:
- Little by little, I face my fears.
- This day is full of great opportunities.
- I choose how I react to situations today.
- I take care of my body, mind, and soul.
- I focus my energy on what’s important to me.
For more ideas, check out this list of positive affirmations for anxiety
Disconnect From the Tech World
Next, often it can be the constant bombardment of news, feeds, and messages that make us feel overwhelmed and overstimulated. For me, when I take a digital break I ALWAYS feel better. This works even better when that break includes a walk in nature.
Can you take a break from your devices for an hour? Or even a day? How much better do you think you would feel?
Know Your Triggers
What are the situations that have led to anxiety in the past?
My anxiety spikes when I watch the news and when there’s uncertainty in the outside world that affects my family (i.e. unexpected school closings). I know that some triggers can be avoided (the news) while others can be prepared for (unexpected things).
It’s important to bring awareness to what makes your anxiety worse so that you can minimize its power in your life. You may find that your triggers can be avoided or prepared for too.
Try Journaling
Next, I’ve been known to lay awake for hours worrying about all kinds of things I wouldn’t in the daylight. Does this happen to you?
Over time, I found 1 technique that finally helped this nighttime dilemma. I write my thoughts in a journal for a solid 5 minutes. Once that time is up, I’m able to let my thoughts go and sleep. If you’ve never tried this tool before, I highly recommend it.
Exercise
Finally, I’ve noticed a massive difference in my day-to-day anxiety on the days that I sweat and the days that I don’t. For that reason alone, I try to move my body daily nowadays. If you are an anxiety sufferer, this tool is priceless.
In Conclusion
Again these tools have been powerful in my own life, but will vary depending on your own level of anxiety and preferences. If you take nothing else from this article, I hope that you see that there is hope in relieving your anxiety. You don’t have to live with it. Instead, you can take charge and make your daily life a much different space to live in.