Introduction
If you’re like me, you’ve probably dealt with a lot of anxiety. I personally fall into the category of being “over-anxious,” and it’s something that can be hard to live with. The good news is that there are many ways to cope with anxiety and some of them are actually helpful and not harmful!
Stop Catastrophizing
Stop catastrophizing. It’s a simple concept, but one that can be really helpful when you have anxiety: if something bad happens, it’s not the end of the world.
In fact, this is probably why so many people have such an obsession with the idea of “catastrophes.” They think their lives will be ruined if they don’t get this or that done today. The truth is that there are always other options—and sometimes even more than one good option!
Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
Caffeine can create anxiety in some people. If you’re one of them, you may find that reducing your caffeine intake helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Here are some ways to do so:
- Cut out caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda. Limit yourself to one cup per day, or none at all if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes or cigars if they lead to anxiety symptoms—caffeine is found in cigarettes as well as cigars and pipes!
- If drinking alcohol is part of your everyday routine (and it probably is), cut back on how much alcohol goes into your system by limiting yourself each week by only having two drinks per day instead of three or four; this will also help improve sleep quality since alcohol causes drowsiness after its consumption
Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation
You may have heard about progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) before, but if not, the idea is simple: you practice relaxing each part of your body in turn. Start with your hands, then move up through your arms and torso and finally work outwards from there. As you do this, imagine that each area of your body is becoming more relaxed as it works its way through its own series of muscles.
It’s important to note that PMR isn’t just for people with anxiety disorders—it can be used by anyone who wants a little extra help keeping calm! The benefits include lower blood pressure levels and reduced heart rate variability—both of which are associated with improved moods overall!
Get Some Sunlight
Sunlight is good for you. In fact, it’s one of the most important things you can do to help manage your anxiety.
Sunlight helps boost your immune system and make you feel energized. It also helps regulate your sleep cycle, so that when nighttime comes around again, you can fall asleep easier and wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the day ahead.
Accept Uncertainty
Acceptance is a key part of coping with anxiety.
Accepting uncertainty is not the same as resignation, nor does it mean giving up on your goals and dreams. Instead, it means accepting that you can’t always control what happens to you—and that’s okay! It doesn’t mean taking everything personally or letting yourself become overwhelmed by negative thoughts or feelings. Instead, acceptance allows you to feel comfortable in the present moment without worrying about what might happen next (or how long this will take).
You can practice acceptance by focusing on how things are right now instead of dwelling on past mistakes or future fears (e.g., “I’m going out tonight but I probably won’t get home until 3am”). For example: when driving down a highway at night with no lights because they were left off due to poor visibility conditions outside; when eating dinner alone at an unfamiliar restaurant without realizing there was another person sitting next to them until after their meal had been served; etcetera…
Journal Daily
Journaling daily is a great way to cope with anxiety. It’s a form of self-care that can help you feel less overwhelmed, and it’s also something that people who suffer from anxiety tend to do anyway.
Journaling has been shown to be effective in reducing stress and improving symptoms like panic attacks. The act of writing down your thoughts and feelings can be cathartic, helping you let go of them so they don’t weigh on you as much during the day or night. Plus journaling is fun! You get to spend time writing about what’s going on in your life—and if there are any funny moments along the way that seem worth remembering later on (like when someone makes fun of another person’s shoes), then even better!
Do a Random Act of Kindness for Someone Else
Random acts of kindness are one of the best ways to help yourself and others. They can be small or large, but they should be unexpected.
When you do something nice for someone else, it helps you feel better about yourself and the world around you. It’s an easy way to make a difference in someone’s life without directly changing anything about your circumstances or situation at home—and if they’re not aware that they’ve been helped by you, then all the better!
Take Care of Something Living
Taking care of something living is a great way to cope with anxiety. There are many things you can do, but here are some examples:
- Gardening. Gardening is a great way to spend time outside and get some fresh air, which will help you feel relaxed when you’re doing it. The plants also give you something else to focus on while they grow (and maybe even get sick). If gardening doesn’t appeal to your personality or interests, there are other activities that can work as well! You could volunteer at an animal shelter or go through the process of fostering an animal yourself; both offer opportunities for connecting with people in different ways than just talking about plants would provide.* Caring for plants indoors or outside might seem like something boring compared with caring for pets but these kinds of responsibilities can actually be very rewarding if done right! For example: A person who takes care of their mother’s house when she travels away from home might find themselves enjoying spending time alone together—one thing may lead another until eventually this person ends up having more free time than ever before (which could mean fewer opportunities available).
Spend Time With People
If you’re feeling anxious, spend time with people who can help lower your anxiety. This doesn’t mean avoiding loved ones—it’s important to stay connected, but be careful not to isolate yourself. It’s okay if they don’t know everything about what’s going on inside of your head and heart.
A support network helps because it provides an outlet for all of those feelings that come along with anxiety; it gives us something productive to do while we process our emotions and thoughts, which makes cuddling or watching Netflix less daunting than having no one there at all!
Don’t Exercise to Excess
Excessive exercise can lead to muscle tension, fatigue and dehydration. These symptoms can make you feel worse before they make you feel better—and they’re not even the worst part! Excessive exercise may cause your body’s immune system to weaken or become over-reactive (immune system hyperactivity). Since the body is made up of cells that work together for its overall health and well-being, when one cell becomes inflamed or injured by excessive stress it will begin attacking other cells in an attempt to protect itself from further harm. This attack causes damage throughout your entire system so that eventually everything gets sick again!
Excessively exercising on a regular basis can cause muscles in your body (especially those used for movement) tendons ligaments joints etc.. It’s important not only for physical health but mental well being too because if you’re anxious about something then chances are good that some part of yourself might be stressed out too which could lead back into anxiety cycle again sooner than later if left unchecked long enough.”
There are many ways to cope with anxiety and some of them are actually helpful and not harmful.
It’s important to know the difference between helpful and harmful coping techniques so you can find what works for you.
Some examples of ways that people use when they feel anxious include:
- Breathing exercises like deep breathing or yoga (which helps calm your body)
- Using imagery such as visualization or meditation (which helps relax your mind)
- Talking about their worries out loud with another person who understands what they are feeling
You should also pay attention to how long these activities take before they begin working on themselves because if it takes too long then it might not work at all!
Conclusion
So there you have it: some great tips for coping with anxiety. Now it’s your turn—what are your favorite ways to take control of your brain and keep things positive? Let us know in the comments!
