Combating Anxiety One Trick at a Time
Anxiety is a sneaky beast that can steal away the moment and all positive emotions associated with it. Anxiety can feel suffocating and uncontrollable, but you have more power than you think. Combat anxiety by using
some of these tricks below.
Use Mantras
Remind yourself of that you are safe, lovable, powerful, ____ (you fill in the blank). Let yourself remember that this is anxiety speaking and it has a funny way of tricking you into believing all kinds of things. When all else fails, remind yourself that every emotion passes, and anxiety is no exception.
Name Your Anxiety
"Well, hello there, Walter! I see you have come to warn me. The thing is, Walter, that I am all good. Thank you anyway and see you next time." Anxiety is there to protect us, but it can pop up on us when we don't need any protection. Give your anxiety a name and a persona. Then when it pops up on you, talk to your anxiety and let it know that you are grateful for its help, but that everything is okay.
Focus on the Moment
Anxiety can only exist when we are focused on the past or future. It cannot exist when focused on the present. So, engage in activities that bring your attention to the present moment. These can include things like deep
breathing, muscle relaxation, mindfulness, counting how many ___ (e.g., red things, letter B's) you see, and defining the smell of a fresh rainfall or the feeling of soft grass on the palms of your hand. There are tons of ways we can ground ourselves in the moment and these will help force anxiety out of the picture. The more we practice these both in and out of anxious moments the easier they will become and the faster we can shift ourselves into the present moment.
There are SO many wonderful tools out there to help you. To get more individualized help managing your anxiety, reach out to a mental health professional or physician. Build your team and really dive deeper into combating your anxiety. Finding freedom from anxiousness is possible when brave enough to ask for help.
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