Anxiety No More

Anxiety can be a tough beast to tame. Perhaps the hardest part of managing your anxiety is that it builds on itself—you feel the anxiety coming on which in turn makes you more anxious. The good news is there are some tips and tricks you can follow to try and nip an attack in the bud.

Below we have compiled a list with instructions on some of the best ways to stay in control of your anxiety. However, it is important to also know it is ok to not always be in control but learning how to manage something that can be debilitating can give you further confidence to tackle your life like the boss we know you are.

Manage Your Anxiety

Before you get into techniques to curb your anxiety symptoms it is important to understand what your anxiety triggers are in the first place. This will help you to anticipate when an attack may happen so you can get to work earlier easing your mind.

1. Think about how you think. We are all guilty of letting the negative voices in our head have a little too much space at times, but if that is all that consumes your thoughts it may be time for a mind reboot. It is important to take inventory of how you think through various situations in your life as ask yourself “is it really as bad as I make it out to be?” Often taking time to analyze your immediate response to life situations will help you see you may be overreacting and allow you to take back control.

2. Focus on your breathing. When you focus on your breathing and even it out (four counts in and four counts out) you can lower your heart rate. When your heart rate is lower, you will be calmer and when you are calmer it is easier to get through whatever your day brings you.

3. Create a calm environment through scent. Scent is one of the most powerful sensations we have as humans and can evoke a lot of different feelings. Aromatherapy has the ability to alert the receptors in your brain to signal it is time to calm down. Just make sure you pick the right smell to get you there. Lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood are all very soothing scents that can put your mind at ease.

4. Burn some energy in a calm setting. Taking a walk, going for a run, or even practicing some yoga can ease your anxiety and get your mind back on track. By focusing on your body through physical activity in a calm setting like a park, forest or even a dark room with candles takes you away from whatever is worrying you thus calming your anxiety.

5. Write it down. Journaling is powerful and sometimes the best way to relieve a stressful situation is to be honest about how it makes you feel. Nothing is more raw and puts things in perspective than reading your own thoughts aloud. Writing down whatever is worrying you takes it out of your head so you can move on to bigger and better things.

Know When to say “When”

For some these general practices won’t be enough to calm their nerves and that is ok. If that happens to be you or someone you know it might be time to seek professional help. If those feelings of constant worry and stress never ease up you may be dealing with generalized anxiety disorder that will need a more in-depth, long-term plan to cope.