Anxiety; 5 Tips to Staying Calm

Anxiety. Even the name can make some people anxious. It can hit us like a ton of bricks or slowly creep in. Either way, struggling with anxiety can be exhausting and well anxiety producing. Here are some tips to help you through the anxiety. I have written about anxiety before and tips to help soothe it but here are some more.

1. Anxiety comes in waves. We may notice feeling worse and then a few minutes or hours or days later, feeling better. Remember when you are in the thick of things, that anxiety, like the weather, comes and goes.

2. Be present. Stay in the moment. Anxiety likes to call in all the other things around it so that you can start being anxious about that. Don’t take the bait. Come back to the present moment and focus on the here and now.

3. Breathe. Breath is tremendously helpful in regulating anxiety. Practice deep breathing even when you aren’t anxious so that when you are, you will know how it goes.

4. Do a calming activity. Know what you like to do that brings some calm to
your nervous system. It could be taking a walk, playing with your dog, getting into nature, or watching a funny movie.

5. Talk about it. So many times we fear if we speak about our emotions, they
get worse. Even though speaking of our challenging emotions is sometimes painful and scary, sharing them ultimately makes us feel more connected and less along. Tell a friend or family member how you are feeling or write in a journal. Be clear about that you need. It could be that you just need support and someone to listen or you may need some brainstorming ideas. Be as clear as you can for what you might need support with.