Hi there! Welcome to Part II of 10 Best Things I do Everyday to manage anxiety. Keyword, manage. Just last year I discovered I have anxiety and have since been on a quest to heal and find ways to ease my anxiety. Everyday is a learning opportunity. I have been educating myself on anxiety looking at everything from books, articles, podcasts and most importantly professional therapy. I’m so happy to be able to share these exercises with you and hope they can help you as they are helping me. For Part I, click here.
6. Exercise – I do Yoga
By no means am I a professional at yoga but I sure do love it! It helps me with my anxiety as it allows me to gain better control of my breath and mind. Yoga is challenging but it’s rewarding. I always feel super rejuvenated and happy after a yoga practice. It’s “me” time.
The most important thing is to find the one exercise that works for you and makes you feel good.
Practicing any kind form of physical exercise will help with your anxiety. In the past, I would force myself to exercise and did things that I didn’t enjoy. For example, I hate running. I would force myself to run because I thought it was good for me. Running is a great form of physical activity but it wasn’t for me. It felt like a drag (I’m sure you know what I mean). But with Yoga, it’s a whole different experience. Not only do I enjoy it, but I look forward to it. My point is, find the physical activity that works for you. Whether it’s yoga, swimming, jogging, tennis or weights. Try them out and you will find something that works for you.
7. Self Care
I cannot stress how important self care is in helping with anxiety. It essentially is the act of taking care of yourself. By no means does it make you selfish or self centered to practice self care. For me, self care is doing those small things that make me happy. Whether it’s going to the store and buying my favorite ice cream to spending 30 minutes applying my skincare. Self care comes in many forms and there is no wrong way to practice it. Just listen to yourself and ask yourself what you need most.
This is something that looks different for every person. Because everyone is unique and needs different things. Read the book you’ve always wanted to read, take a bubble bath, cook yourself a fancy dinner, spend an hour listening to your favorite music, buy yourself some flowers, go on a bike ride, watch your favorite movie on Netflix. Do anything that relaxes YOU and makes YOU happy. Spend some time with yourself and show yourself some love every day.
8. Spending Time With Loved Ones
This has been such an amazing tool in managing my anxiety. I spent time with those closest to me such as my family, boyfriend or friends. Not only does it bring you comfort to be surrounded by those who love you, but it also distracts and keeps your mind away from any anxious thoughts.
If you ever feel anxious, nervous or unwell, seek out someone who loves you. I will drive and go out of my way to see them because I know that they will bring me comfort during a time where I might be feeling stressed. I completely value my own space and “alone time” but I have found such joy in being present with my loved ones. Hopefully you can find love and support too.
9. Create a Comfortable Safe Space for Yourself
Creating a comfortable space for yourself is an amazing way to help manage your anxiety. For me, my safe space is my room. I have spent countless hours picking out the perfect decor and colors to make it comfy and relaxing. I have candles, plants and the softest blankets. All of these things make my room a safe and comfortable place for me to come and unwind. It may sound cliche, but I make my room a good vibes only space.
Creating a comfortable and safe space for you to unwind may look different for everyone. It does not have to be your room. My point is you should have a space where you feel most at home, the most comfortable and the most relaxed which in allows you to feel less anxious and more… comfortable. It’s where you can go to be alone.
10. Therapy
I should have put this as the number 1 thing to do to help manage your anxiety (but this list is in no particular order). I cannot express how beneficial and amazing therapy has been in helping with my anxiety.
I had no guidance or knowledge on where to get help when I first started to recognize I had anxiety. All I knew was that I was experiencing panic attacks and anxious thoughts and I needed to take action. I was afraid and did not want to feel these things. After listening to a podcast, I heard them talk about an online therapy/counseling platform. It’s called BetterHelp. (I may even write an entire blog post about BetterHelp because it has truly been a game changer for me and my anxiety journey).
BetterHelp is a service that allows you to match or pair up with counselor or therapist suited to your needs. It’s all “online” so you do not go in person to see your therapist. Rather, you do video chats, phone calls and text them. Since we are in a pandemic, this digital service is absolutely amazing!
I have been meeting with my therapist for 5 months now and she is wonderful! Talking openly about my anxiety struggles and what I have been feeling feels like a huge weight taken from my shoulders. My therapist has guided me and allowed me to be honest with myself. I feel as though I have been building an anxiety tool kit. I’ve been non-stop recommending therapy to my friends and family because I see the benefits. I hope that if you are like me and struggling with panic attacks, anxiety and trauma that you can take the leap forward and seek out some support and help. If you have any questions about therapy, I would be more than happy to share more of my experiences.