In this post I will be sharing three powerful ways on how to combat anxiety -Take a Break, Take a Breath, and Take Stock.
Fear has immense and comprehensive power over one’s mental health. It is a silent, but devastating factor that contributes to anxiety and depression. There is not always a basis for your fear, and even if there is, we might escalate this power to the point where it keeps us hostage. Fear originates from confusion and doubt. But, we don’t have to let it control us and allow it to place emotional strain on our bodies that impact our overall wellness.
To lead a productive and meaningful lifestyle, your heart and mind must be free from the debilitating forces of anxiety. It is up to you to incorporate clarity into your life by realizing your life’s purpose and then directing your energies towards it. To do this you need to keep a close eye on feelings of doubt, anxiety, and fear that is standing in the way of your inner peace. Here is how you can accomplish this.
How To Combat Anxiety – Take a Break, Take a Breathe, Take Stock
Take a Break
You need to be gentle with yourself and procrastinate things that makes you feel overwhelmed and makes it difficult to cope. Do not put too much pressure on yourself when you have a lot to do. When life is becoming too stressful and overwhelming and you feel like running away or sitting in a corner and never stop crying, take some time-out.
Remove yourself from the environment that is causing you stress and tell yourself that it is going to be ok. Practice yoga, get a massage, listen to music, meditate, or go out in nature and breathe in some fresh air. Whatever brings you peace and tranquility. Stepping back from the issue can help with clearing your head.
Take a Breath
Take deep long breaths. Inhale, count to ten slowly, and then exhale slowly. Repeat until you can feel yourself calming down.
Take Stock
Mental health is multifaceted. While an individual may not be experiencing a mental condition like depression or anxiety, it does not mean they their mental health is thriving. Take stock of the situation you are facing. Compare this one situation to everything that is going on in the world. Tell yourself that you can get through this one little thing that is keeping you back.
Break it down. Instead of thinking about what you need to do in the next week, think about what you need to do in the next hour. Take each moment in it’s stride and handle it through taking baby steps. Focus on the now and tackle each task separately. Once you’ve completed one task, then start focusing on the next task.
At some point you are going to look back on this and realize that you’ve gotten through it. All you can do is trying your best. Instead of aiming for excellence, which is not possible, be proud of how far you’ve come and how close you’ve gotten. Accept that not everything can be controlled. Put the stressful situation in perspective and ask yourself if it is really as bad as you envision.
Other Useful Coping Strategies – How to Combat Anxiety
- You can try the following strategies when you are feeling stressed or anxious:
- Exercise daily to maintain good physical and mental health.
- Follow a healthy and balanced diet and avoid skipping meals. Snack on energy-boosting and healthy foods.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol which can trigger or aggravate panic attacks.
- Try to maintain a positive mindset – make a conscious effort in replacing negative thoughts with encouraging ones.
- Get involved by being volunteering or being active in your local community. This will keep your through processes from focusing on everyday stress.
- Become aware of triggers that is causing your anxiety whether it being family, work, or health-related stressors. Keep a journal and write down whenever you are feeling anxious or stressed. Look for a pattern.
- Confide in someone – tell a family member or friend when you are feeling overwhelmed and how they can help you to get through it. If you need professional help, talk to a therapist or physician.
- Welcome humor – a good laugh can do wonders and have various health benefits.
- Make sure you are getting enough sleep – your body needs extra rest and sleep when you are stressed. Even though you are not aware of it, your brain take on several vital functions when you are asleep, like processing emotions you’ve experienced earlier during the day and consolidation memories. If you are experiencing a lack of or interrupted sleep, your brain cannot fulfil these essential tasks which subsequently impacts your mental health.
- Connect with others – having wide and strong connections can assist you with feeling happier and give you a sense of security and purpose. There are plenty ways how you can build closer and stronger relationships. Share a meal with a co-worker, talk to a new person, visit family or friends, or volunteer in your community.
Conclusion
The key to maintaining good mental health is by taking each moment in its stride give yourself a break. With these useful ways on how to combat anxiety, alongside the other useful strategies, you can learn how to separate yourself from situations that are causing you to have a meltdown to attain inner peace.
Mental health is all about being emotionally, cognitively, physically, and socially healthy – and not simply the lack of a mental health condition. Taking stock of your mental wellbeing might entail re-evaluating certain lifestyle choices and taking constructive steps towards obtaining good mental health.
Sending you much love, inner peace, and healthy mental vibes
Anthea