Although, there is no doubt that there is now more literature and resources in the public domain to support individuals who may be suffering with this. There are still many people who struggle to manage their frequency and the current events afflicting our world has further heightened its presence within their life.
Then you have to consider all the other difficulties that may plague your mind. Consider all you ask your mind to do. You want everyone to like you. You don’t ever want to be embarrassed. You want everyone to like everything you say and do. You don’t want anyone to hurt you in any way. You don’t want anything to happen that you don’t like. That’s a lot to ask of your mind. No wonder you feel anxious.
Anxiety is a common affliction, and that’s not surprising. The modern world is much more demanding and complex than our brains were designed to handle. Pain is a symptom of a broken body. Anxiety is a symptom of a broken mind.
But like everything in life; there are tried and tested solutions that you can apply in your day to day life that can help to reduce the intensity of your anxiety. Consider these key strategies...
1. Go out and exercise
When it comes to exercise, it doesn’t have to be a high impact exercise like cardio. In fact, It could be a yoga class, tennis match, long walk, or some good old-fashioned calisthenics. Exercise is an effective way to burn off that extra stress and allows your brain to focus on something else that is positive and is beneficial to both your mind and your body.
2. Tackle the mess, tidy up your environment
Clutter is proven to contribute to creating major anxiety. Tidy up your environment and notice how much better you feel. Start with the rooms and areas in which you spend the most time and work your way from there. The key is little and often; do not heighten your stress levels by trying to take on too much. Remember little and often wins the race and just the action of making a positive change to your environment will make the world of difference to your psyche.
3. Change your diet
Your diet can have a negative impact on your stress levels. Play around with your food choices and find out what works for you. Try your best to begin reducing the amount of sugary foods and drinks you are consuming. Strive for a 80/20 ratio; where you try to eat well 80% of the time. Again, this is a process and something you should work towards. Keep an eye on how much your mood changes and with it an increased level of energy by making some positive changes to what you consume. 4. De-clutter your brain
Take care of the things that are on your mind. Procrastination creates mental clutter and stress. Trying to remember things is challenging for your brain too. Make lists and use a calendar and alarms to ease the load on your poor brain. Do your best to make your to-do lists manageable by putting up to 5 items on your list. As you achieve them, mark them off and do not allow temptation to allow you to add more until you have completed your initial tasks. You will feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment which will lower your levels of anxiety and will allow you to push yourself in gradual intervals. 5. Spend time with your pet
Pets are great for reducing anxiety. Play on the floor with your cat. Take the dog for a walk. Sit and watch your fish. Pet Therapy has been proven to help those who are struggling with their anxiety as well as with other issues. Simply stroking your pet and having them sit on your lap will contribute positively to your mood and overall well being. 6. Think about something positive
As a woman thinks of herself. SO IS SHE. Your thoughts are powerful and what you to choose to focus on will have a direct effect on your mood. Your anxiety is only being heightened by the fact that you are thinking about something that makes you anxious. Give yourself a break and choose to think about something else instead. 7.Give yourself something to look forward to
Yes, we may not currently be able to move around as freely as we would like, but it’s really important that you have something to look forward to. Something that will get you pumped and ready to face the day no matter what. It can be a great relief to have something positive to look forward to. It may be a zoom catch up with a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Set aside an evening to cook your favourite meal, create a new playlist and dance around like you don’t have a care in the world. This can really help to take the edge off.
8.Find a solution, look for the source.This can sometimes be daunting as this will involve some soul searching and may cause you to have to work through past hurts. But sometimes you need to take necessary action to get to the root and help to alleviate the stress you may be facing. Maybe you can solve the issue that’s creating your anxiety. If there’s something you can do to resolve the situation, it’s time to work towards making it happen. 9.Take slow, deep breaths
Your breathing naturally becomes shallow and faster when you’re stressed. You can counteract a lot of the physical symptoms of anxiety by just slowing down your breaths and increasing the depth. If you are unsure of how to breathe correctly, research. The internet enables you to have a vast amount of important resources at your fingertips that can aid you
10. Play the name five things game
Bring your mind back to the present. Look around your environment and name five things you see. Now, name five things you feel. For example, “I feel the pencil in my hand. It feels smooth and warm.”
Try to name five things you hear.
Smell the air and describe what you smell. Smell nearby objects until you’ve described five smells.
11. Get help
If nothing seems to work, seek professional assistance. There is nothing wrong with reaching out and asking for support if you cannot find the solution yourself. Reach out. Help is out there.
Give you mind and body a break by minimising your anxiety. Avoid the belief that you just have to suffer with the discomfort of anxiety. Do everything you can to find relief without making your challenges worse. If you’re unable to find a suitable solution, get help from a professional.
By Sasha Shantel @women_who_slay_
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