3 Hacks That Can Help With Anxiety
While there’s no magic pill to cure anxiety , there are ways to ease the overwhelming feeling and halt it from escalating the minute it starts to kick in. How, you ask? Ahead, we’re sharing expert-approved tips that can help calm the mind and body during anxiety-filled moments.
Read through and test out each example to see which one works for you. Every body and brain is different so not all will work for everyone, but they are good tools to keep on hand and experiment with as you find coping skills that are right for you.
1. Pause and Take Deep Breaths
When we get nervous or upset, our breathing gets shallower, our heart beats faster, and it’s harder to get a deep breath. And if you’re already prone to anxiety then you know how critical it is to breathe correctly.
2. Put Your Thoughts on Paper
The thoughts circling in your head need an interruption. One way to interrupt that cycle of worry is to get the thoughts out of your head, and writing is such an important and effective way.
Ask yourself:
‘Is this true?’ If it is, then ask yourself, ‘What can I do about it?’
If there’s nothing you can do about it, then you can focus on what you CAN let go of in the situation.
3. Clearly Call Out Your Anxiety
When you feel anxious, take three minutes to stop, breathe, and see if you can identify the root emotion. You don’t have to know what to do about it or ‘fix’ it yet, just put your awareness on what you’re feeling. For example:
‘I’m experiencing impostor syndrome.’
‘I’m having a day of relationship anxiety.’
‘I’m experiencing shame and self-judgment right now.’
Notice those two words? ‘Experiencing’ and ‘having.’ When you clearly call out your anxiety, separate it from yourself. YOU are not your anxiety. You are an incredible human having a big emotion—don’t get it twisted! Calling out your anxiety can begin paving the way for the next steps.”
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