Ways to help with anxiety

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I have talked about anxiety here before, it has been something more present in my life since the pandemic started and from what I can tell from social media accounts everywhere it has also become more apparent in everyone’s lives. It’s hard to turn off your brain to all things going on in the world if you don’t intentionally try to stay away from your phone, television and computer. All of which can suck you into a vortex of a bad news spiral and therefore making you feel more anxious, on top of whatever is happening in your personal lives. 

So what are ways we can try to like more relaxed, happier people? There are bubble baths, face masks and trying to get a good sleep, which are all fantastic ideas but don’t really get to the root of the problem which is your thought patterns. 

For myself, I would still wake up the next morning and feel stuck in the same habits of anxiety that plagued me from the night before. So the key for me was to try to look elsewhere for advice on how to try to feel better. 

 But full disclaimer before jumping into this new list, these can be seen as jumping off points for people and if you experience chronic anxiety and need more help, finding a therapist is the best option. There are many new forms that have emerged in the last little bit, which even include free therapy over Zoom. Look into the best course of action for yourself and follow through with it.  

Find Other Resources to Help: When I started really seeing a shift in my anxiety was when the September school semester started, I have never taken an online class let alone a whole semester (or year at this point) coupled with restrictions getting heavier, I constantly felt my heart racing. When I noticed that this was becoming more apparent for me, I began looking for resources that could help me chill out and relax my mind. I’ve gotten into podcasts, books and Youtube videos from women in my demographic who talk about minimizing anxiety and negative thought patterns.

So a lot of this information here is from people in the media I have found who practice processes like meditation, mindfulness and gratitude. Some of the sources I have found over the past few months include,

-Rachel Hollis, her books and podcast

-What We Said podcast that has some episodes tailored to these ideas 

-Gabby Bernstein’s Super Attractor book 

There are many sources out there that can help and from other demographics as well, research these ideas and try to find people you relate to. 

Being More Present: This may sound a little far-fetched, but it truly isn’t. Releasing everything that happened in the day and letting yourself focus on what you are doing now to relax will help you feel better and more present. It can be hard to do at first especially if you are a major over thinker like me but just even trying to remember to do it has helped stop some instances of me spiralling. 

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For me, a lot of my anxiety comes from the unknown especially when it comes to my career. Thinking about not taking opportunities or the opportunities I am missing out on because everything is shut down right now, can make me go into a tangent of sitting on my phone for hours looking at job opportunities and just simply psyching myself out about what I am going to do once I graduate. This can get me so worked up that I can’t think about anything else. 

Practicing being more present can happen in different ways, one can be by deep breathing, I’m sure you know the kind, the in through the nose, out through the mouth for as many times as you need. Another can just simply be by snapping yourself out of the thought by getting up and doing something else or by telling yourself “I’m taken care of, everything will work out”. 

One way that has helped me has been to realize where I am (that may sound funny), but I check in with my surroundings by thinking of 3 things I see, 2 things I hear and 1 thing I smell, it puts you as in the moment as you can get. 

Exercising: I know that is the last thing on a lot of people’s minds right now, that COVID weight is packing on and if you really have not gone to the gym since the pandemic started then you really aren’t going to go now. 

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But this does not have to be going to the gym for 2 hours to sweat your butt off type of exercise. It can be literally in any kind of exercise, from walking around the block, to running, to lifting weights or dancing around in your kitchen. It does not have to be insane workouts to reap the benefits. 

Exercising releases endorphins making you happier, it is also another way to get out of your own head because you are less focused on your own thoughts and more so on what you are doing (another way to be more present) and more so on how tired you feel and how much exercise can suck.    

Practicing Gratitude: This another one of these ideas that feels strange (like how does it help you relax?) but actually can help you create thought patterns that are a lot healthier and make you feel more happier. When you focus on what is good and what you are grateful for you remove space for negativity and you appreciate all you have around you. During this time where it can be easy to get sucked into remembering everything we missed out on or don’t have, practicing gratitude can help make you appreciate all the things you do have. Even when you feel like you don’t have much to be thankful for there is always something. Whether that just be a safe place to live or a good phone call with a friend there is always something to be grateful for and this thought process can bring you back to space of feeling happy.

I hope these ideas were helpful for you and please remember to reach out when you need help. 

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