When life gets complicated — our plate is too full or something unexpected throws us a curve ball, anxiety can hit hard. How to stabilize and not let it get the better of you?
Here is how to move beyond anxiety when it hits…
1. Keep breathing… Take controlled breaths.
2. Work to keep your mental awareness and physical being steady and in focus.
3. Practice relaxation techniques. Have a system or method in place that works well for you.
4. In the heat of crisis create temporary physical and emotional space from the problem. Come back to the problem and begin to process and deal with it later, on your terms.
5. First things first.
6. Keep up a simple daily routine.
7. Establish realistic priorities.
8. Maintain clear and healthy boundaries.
9. Reach out to those that you trust and respect. Stay connected.
10. Maintain a simple and healthy lifestyle — adequate rest, good food, regular exercise.
11. Roll with the punches. Keep boundaries and priorities in focus, yet be flexible.
12. Move slowly through the process of understanding, accepting, and coping with event/change/crisis. Allow time to unfold. Do not hurry through your grief and/or fear.
13. Allow time to unfold as needed so that you feel like you are in control of yourself rather than someone or something else controlling you.
14. Turn to your spiritual core — prayer, religion, meaningful practices.
15. Help others as you are able. Practice altruism.
16. Be a good role model.
17. Trust the process…
Having a solid plan for dealing with problems that naturally occur in life reduces anxiety and helps us cope better.
Share tips that work for you in mastering anxiety when it gets the better of you.