Step one is finding the motivation to defeat the anxiety. Step two is maintaining that motivation and kicking the anxiety’s butt.
Maybe it’s everyday anxiety, or maybe it’s anxiety you have about one specific situation. In general, anxiety is about having thoughts that are unnecessary despite how persistent and urgent they may seem.
Recommended for you
So try to recognize those thoughts that get you nowhere, and work to stop them by utilizing one of the following 16 coping strategies:
1. Workout
Oldie but a goodie in regards to lifting your mood. Working out allows for a release of endorphins that are bound to have you feeling more relaxed after a good blood-pumping gym session. So lace up those sneakers and sweat out the worries that you don’t need to have.
2. Write
Let it all out. Put pen to paper and write whatever comes to mind. Vent with no filter. Write things that you wouldn’t say aloud. Be honest with yourself and don’t apologize for how you feel. Let those words sit there, and let the worries stay on that page.
3. Blast Music
Sing it out, dance it out, rock it out. Sometimes, the best way to release angst that you just can’t shake is to blast songs that fit your mood, and sing your troubles away.
4. Talk to friends
Find someone that is supportive and that has a good ear, and wouldn’t mind you opening up to them. Sometimes, the best way to deal with anxiety is by finding a shoulder to lean on, even if just for a moment. And plus, close friends will be able to reassure you of what is worth worrying about, and what is worth letting go.
5. Drink Tea
6. Veg out
If you really need to, say f*** everything for a day. Turn off your phone, put on your favorite sweats, and just mentally shut down and allow yourself to enjoy mindless TV while doing nothing. Sometimes the body just needs a chance to reset without any pressure. So treat yourself, and give your brain a day off.
7. Make list
Prioritize. Break down your anxieties and list them in order based on how easily you can address them and get rid of them. Start by addressing the problems that you can easily manage and fix. Then only focus on the problems that you can actually solve today. There’s no point in stressing over issues that you have no control over, so learn to let them go for now.
8. Keep A Planner
Grab a calendar and jot down all of your obligations and important notes. Make a to-do list of stuff that must get done. Being able to visualize your busy schedule will allow you to realize that you don’t need to handle everything at once, and that there is enough time in the day to manage your duties and get back on track. Space out your priorities, and take everything one step at a time.
9. Organize Your Home
Organizing your surroundings can help you feel more focused. Sometimes it’s hard to feel calm in a room that represents chaos. So clean up a bit, put everything in its place, and then enjoy the ability to sit down in a fresh looking room. Doing so can help you find the motivation to organize your thoughts next.
10. Dive Into A Productive Activity
Can’t handle the anxious thoughts that just won’t quit? Then try blocking them out by diving into an activity that takes all your mental energy. For example, if you’re having a rough day just sitting around at home then call your job and see if you can pick up an extra shift. Or look into working on future assignments for work or school, and get ahead of the game. Take that anxious energy, and put it towards something that can actually breed beneficial results.
11. Create Positive Mantras And Utilize Them
Find a mantra that you can identify with, or create your own positive saying, and repeat it to yourself anytime you feel like you need a boost to keep moving forward. Focus on the positivity within those words, and recognize that simply gaining a different perspective on a situation can be empowering.
12. Redecorate
Find your happy colors, and create a space that’s all about you. Let it be a space in which you automatically feel happy entering. Surround yourself with the colors that put your mind at ease. It’s amazing how much impact a pleasant visual can have on your mentality.
13. Count to 10
Release the tension from your muscles. Close your eyes. Breathe through your nose and count to ten, or twenty, or sixty. Tell yourself that this stress won’t last forever. It’s a momentary thing, and you will get through this moment. Just breathe.
14. Let It Out
Find a safe place and scream and cry and stomp around and sob. Let it all out. Say whatever comes to mind. Break down. And then realize how much better you feel when you’re not constantly fighting back tears. Be honest with your emotions. Then stand up, grab some tissues, fix your face, and realize just how light you feel now that you’re no longer carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
15. Give The Thought A Chance To Disappear
Practice thought-stopping. Literally, just stop thinking. Your brain is going to tell you that you must continue walking in that circle that is getting you nowhere. It’s going to try to make you believe that if you walk far enough, you’ll find an exit with an answer. But recognize that is the anxiety speaking, not rational thought. So force yourself to just stop mid-thought, and carry on to the next thought or action that can occupy your time. Anxiety is like a leech that feeds off your worries. Once you cut off its food supply, it’ll wither away and die. So try to stop feeding it by shutting down the thoughts that get you nowhere.
16. Truly Think Of The Worse Case Scenario
Focus on that anxious thought for a moment. Allow yourself to imagine the worst possible thing that can happen. And then come up with a solution for that worst case scenario. Then you'll realize that even if the worst outcome occurred, you'll still find a way to be okay, so carry on with your day without the worries. Every thing will be alright.
