Do I know you? Most likely, yes. In fact, anxiety is the most common mental health illness in the U.S. According to the World Health Organization, around 40 million adults in the U.S. are affected by anxiety (and let’s not forget the kids and adolescents). So what can you do if you are feeling anxious?
- Observe your Thoughts: You may not even be aware that your thoughts are making you feel anxious. Pay attention. How are your thoughts making you feel? If your thought is making you feel anxious, then is it beneficial for you to keep thinking/believing it?
- Watch your Diet: How is your diet making you feel? Sugar, caffeine, alcohol, additives to our food and beverages all play a role in how we feel. Pay attention to your body and how it feels after you drink a cup of coffee, have a glass of wine or eat that bag of cookies. I recently cut down my coffee intake because I noticed an underlying feeling of anxiety after my morning cup of Joe.
- Exercise: When you move your body, it releases endorphins, which are hormones that improve your mood. There are many ways to move your body: walk, dance, run, lift weights, do yoga, ride a bike, go for a hike, etc… Start with 5-10 minutes a day and work your way up.
- Practice Self-Compassion: We all make mistakes. Re-playing your mistake in your head over and over again won’t change what happened, but it may make you anxious. Instead, practice self-compassion. Forgive yourself. Allow yourself to be human. No one is perfect, so stop being so hard on yourself. Tomorrow is a new day.
- Practice Mindful Breathing: This means… sit back, close your eyes, and take deep-full breaths while paying attention to how your body feels with each inhale and each exhale. Fill your belly with air on each inhale and release with each exhale (as opposed to your chest, which is how we typically breathe). This is called belly breathing. Do this as many times as needed.
- Take a Time Out: Put down your phone, turn off your T.V., stop checking your email and rest. Just be… without any distractions. You deserve it.
- Get Help: There may be an underlying issue for your feelings of anxiety. You don’t have to go through it alone. Talk to a mental health professional to get to the root of the problem.
Make your mental health a priority. You don’t have to get through difficult times on your own. You can find me at www.wholeisticyou.com or reach me by email at hello@wholeisticyou.com.