Dealing with anxiety is never fun. It feels like there’s darkness on the edges of your mind, about to swoop over your life and make everything unhappy. But, that doesn’t mean you have to live under that black cloud or feel like your vibe is “off.” Here are 11 little life hacks that people with anxiety swear by, and they can help you deal when anxiety pushes its way into your life.
1. Blow Air Out Through Your Lips.
If you’re feeling anxious, it’s not always easy to do deep-breathing meditation. Sometimes, this can make you feel worse. It’s hard to take deep breaths if your heart’s racing a million miles a minute. Instead, purse your lips and blow air out through them. This empties your lungs so you feel you can take a nice, calming deep breath.
2. Score Your Anxiety From 1-10.
Quick! Ask yourself how anxious you are right now, on a scale of one to 10. By giving the anxiety a number, it feels like you’re in control of it, instead of letting it run riot through your mind and body. It’s about facing it head-on instead of trying to avoid it, which is always a no-no.
3. Imagine Happiness.
Close your eyes for a few minutes and imagine a scene that makes you feel good. Maybe it’s lying on the beach on a warm day or laughing with your bestie without having a care in the world. Whatever brings you some serenity is worth picturing now to block out the anxiety. You can control what you think about and it doesn’t have to be anything stressful!
4. Try To Find Humor.
When you’re anxious or having a full-blown panic attack, humor is probably the last thing you want. But, it can help you tons. Imagine the worst-case scenario coming to life, but in a hilarious way. So, if you’re afraid you’re gonna make a fool of yourself during a debate, imagine yourself breakdancing on stage. If you’re feeling anxious about a first date, imagine doing cartwheels through the restaurant. Laugh through the anxiety!
5. Do A Grounding Exercise.
Anxiety can be all-consuming. Instead of focusing on the world around you, it feels like your world’s closing in on you. Get out of your head by doing a quick grounding exercise. Check your surroundings for five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can feel, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
6. Spill Your Guts To Someone.
Speaking about what’s on your mind is a fantastic way to make it feel less scary. You get to say the words out loud, which dissolves the fear attached to them. So, call up a friend who knows you struggle with anxiety and who can make you feel that you’re okay. That’s the reassurance you need right now, and it can really work to help you chill out.
7. Do Some Stretches.
Stretching your muscles helps you to release tension that’s accumulated inside your body, plus doing something physical gets you out of your negative thoughts. So, roll your neck around a bit or raise your arms above your head. If you have time, some yoga poses are worth doing.
8. Let Yourself Be Anxious.
It might sound scary to say you should tell the anxiety to give you all its got, but this can be a fast way to eliminate it. What you resist, persists. So, flip the script on your anxiety. If your heart’s beating fast or your mind’s racing, tell the symptoms to come on stronger. By not being afraid, you’ll feel more in control.
9. Put Ice On Your Wrists.
This might sound like a weird hack, but putting ice cubes on your wrists when you’re feeling anxious helps you to slow down and chill your thoughts. It’s not just because the cold feeling on your skin is a distraction. Rather, it’s because never endings in the brain where anxious thoughts happen end in the wrists, so you’re directing targeting them and cooling them down.
10. Do Something Kind For Someone Else.
It can help you to boost your mood and distract yourself from anxious thoughts by doing something for someone else. Maybe your friend needs help with her work presentation, or your senior relative needs help getting her weekly grocery shopping done. Anxiety can make you feel fragile, so rescuing someone else’s day can boost your strength.
11. Schedule Anxiety Time.
Pushing aside anxious thoughts won’t help you – the anxiety will just become stronger because it’s like a mischievous kid trying to get your attention. It can help to schedule in some time for when you’ll allow the anxiety to strike. You can even talk to your anxiety and tell it, “Hey, I’m busy right now, but you can come back Sunday afternoon at three.” By doing this, you don’t let anxiety trample over your day. Sorted!
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