That anxious feeling

I am sitting in my back garden writing this post, it’s Sunday, the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, it’s very relaxing really. Life is not always like this, there are times when we let worry and stress get the better of us, we are time poor and task heavy. One of the things I have been working on lately is managing my anxiety levels. I want to acknowledge that anxiety comes in different forms for everyone, for me, it is when my chest tightens up, my breath becomes laboured, and my thoughts race and I begin to feel out of control. This usually happens to me when I become overwhelmed with my workload, I feel pressure to perform and I let my thoughts run wild. It’s taken me a while to get to the point where I recognise this and for me that was one of the biggest things with learning to manage it.

4 ways to help manage anxiety

Recognise what drives your anxiety
The first step in managing anxiety is to identify the specific situations that are making you stressed or anxious and when you are having trouble coping. One way to do this is to keep a diary of symptoms and what is happening when anxiety occurs. It is also helpful to identify any worrying thoughts as this can lead to finding ways to solve the specific problem that is of concern. When we have a clear view of what drives our anxiety, we can determine if it’s worth holding onto.

Challenge your anxiety
Now that you have recognised what it is that is driving your anxiety it’s time to challenge it. Take one or two of the worries you have written down and ask a few questions of it.

1. What is the worst thing that can happen?
2. What is the best thing that can happen?
3. What strategies can I put in place to manage this anxiety?
4. What advise would I give a friend in this situation?

Awareness is the precursor to relaxation. Take note of what is happening in your body when you are undertaking this exercise; be aware of how your body and mind reacts.

Learn to relax
Relaxation means different things to everyone. Understanding what it means to you will help you manage your anxiety and find your perfect way to switch off and let your mind and body release built up tension. Different relaxation techniques are as follows:

Exercise

Regular exercise will help to reduce anxiety by providing an outlet to let off stress that has been built up in your body.

Write
Get your worries out of your head and down on paper. It’s amazing what writing a list or a journal can do for my
anxiety levels

Meditation
Take time to sit quietly with yourself, turn off the television, take the phone of the hook, find a place where you wont be disturbed and breath deeply, notice the thoughts that come into your mind and then let them go. There are many different forms of meditation, you can purchase self-guided meditation, attend meditation workshops, learn from a self-help book, or simply create your own meditation.

Create lightness in your life
By creating lightness in our lives we let go of stress and worry. Creating lightness is not as hard as it sounds.

1. Engage your ears – Listen to soothing music, Enjoy the sounds of nature – birds singing, waves crashing on the beach, wind rustling in the trees
2. Laugh – Don’t take life so seriously. Laugh at yourself and with others. Laughter is a wonderful way to alleviate tension and stress
3. Reflection – Take time each day to reflect and be grateful for all the good in your life, you will be amazed at how good it makes you feel to focus on the positives.
4. Let go of your responsibility for others – Understand that you are not responsible for other people’s thoughts and actions. Take note that where other people are in life is exactly where they need to be, don’t judge them or try to make them do it differently. By letting go of the need to feel in control of others, we create more room in our minds to focus on what is important for us.

These are just some ways I have found useful to mange my anxiety, what do you do you find helpful?