Anxiety Hack #1: Get up and move your body! It’s pretty hard to give in to feelings of anxiety when you’re engaged in physical activity and those happy hormones, or endorphins, are getting released. This hack works best if you start moving as soon as you begin to experience those anxious thoughts and the adrenaline creeping in because it’ll prevent the anxiety from escalating. Choose a type of exercise you enjoy or even something childlike, such as bouncing on a trampoline or doing the “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” I dare you to try one of those and not crack a giggle. Also, if possible, take it outside for the extra benefits of sunlight, fresh air, and a dose of vitamin D.
Anxiety Hack #2: BREATHE. One of the most effective and simple deep breathing exercises for calming anxiety and overall relaxing is the 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil (based off of pranayama yoga.) Here’s how you do it: Find a quiet and comfortable place to either lie down or sit up straight with good posture. Rest the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth. Let your lips part and make an obnoxious whooshing sound as you exhale through your mouth. Then, with your lips closed, inhale through your nose as you count to 4. Hold that breath for 7 counts. Exhale from your mouth for 8 counts. Don’t forget the annoying “whoooooooshhhhh!” It’s key. ;) Do this at least four times.
Anxiety Hack #3: Repeat affirmations. Saying affirmations out loud to yourself may seem out there, but can be extremely powerful when it comes to taming anxiety. The following affirmations have worked for me at the peak of an anxiety attack when I’ve felt crippled by that impending feeling of doom and darkness. “I am okay.” “I’ve been here before. This too shall pass.” “I am more than my anxiety.” “I will transform my anxiety into positive, calming energy.” “I breathe out tension and breathe in serenity.” “I breathe out fear and breathe in love.” “I will overcome this like I always do. I am getting stronger and stronger.” “I am safe within myself. There is nothing to fear.” “My body is filled with loving and calming energy.”
Anxiety Hack #4: Write it out. Journaling, or just jotting down those thoughts that are running through your mind at the speed of light, in the moment can bring you some peace. If you don’t have a journal, use the notes section of your phone and write out whatever thoughts you have running through your mind. Whether it’s a to-do list of things you need done by the end of the week, a poem, or a bunch of swear words, writing it down (or typing it out) is a form of release. Trust me, you will feel some tension lift.
Anxiety Hack #5: Listen to feel good music. Music has a powerful effect on your mood and energy. The key is to listen to happy, calming music, even if that’s not the type of music in your Spotify library. Choose music that reflects the way you want to feel and that will soothe your anxious mind. Personally, my go-to for happy, relaxing beats is anything by Kygo, Sam Feldt, or Bonobo.
Anxiety Hack #6: Get in touch with your spiritual side. Connecting to a higher power is pretty much a guaranteed way of calming down feelings of anxiety. Whether you choose to pray, meditate, chant mantras, or hold crystals, doing something spiritual will help ground you and give you peace of mind. My favorite way to calm my restless mind at night is to take an epsom salt bath, turn on my latest Headspace meditation, close my eyes, and just focus on my breathing. Actually, this combines three anxiety hacks into one 10-minute activity - meditating (getting in touch with my spiritual side), deep breathing (hack #2), and self-care (hack #7).
Anxiety Hack #7: Show yourself some tender love and self-care. There’s nothing better than stopping an anxiety attack in its tracks by doing something pleasurable for your mind and body. When you feel those dreaded, worry-filled thoughts manifest in your body as a rapid heartbeat or sweaty palms, throw your hands up, say “that’s enough!” and go treat your poor body like royalty. Get a massage, give yourself a facial treatment, get a mani-pedi, take a bath, get your hair did, anything that you know will make you feel good, physically. Taking care of yourself and your body is therapeutic. Self-care is a form of self-love and self-love produces positive thoughts and emotions, which crowd out those negative, fearful feelings.
Anxiety Hack #8: Love your anxiety. Yes, you read that right. One of the ways we tend to make our anxiety worse is by judging it and ourselves as something negative and horrible that needs fixing. If there’s one thing you take away from reading this article, I hope it’s this - every belief or behavior has a positive intention, therefore any negative thoughts or destructive behaviors are not the problem. They are just the best solution you have come up with so far. What if, instead of looking at your anxiety as something you hate and want to “fix”, you saw it as the only way your mind knows how to cope with whatever it is you are dealing with? What if you looked at your battles with anxiety as victories that make you a stronger person? What if you listened to what your anxiety is trying to tell you and focus on fixing that problem? The thing about anxiety is, we put so much energy, time, and money into trying to heal the symptoms of anxiety when what we really need to heal is the fear or trauma that triggers this unnerving cascade in the first place. Which brings me to the last hack…
Anxiety Hack #9: Listen to and get acquainted with your body. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety and you have no clue why or where they’re coming from, it’s time to take a closer look at your lifestyle choices and health. Three of the top anxiety triggers are caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. If you’re consuming any or all of these, try eliminating them from your diet for a few weeks, preferably a full month. Then, slowly add one in at a time to see how your body responds. Chances are, you won’t go back and if you do, you’ll find a healthier and more moderate way to integrate it into your lifestyle. Health issues, hormonal imbalances, and food allergies can also trigger anxiety. Make sure you know what’s going on inside your body. Knowledge about your body’s natural tendencies and providing your body with nourishing, whole foods is groundbreaking when it comes to managing your anxiety. Once you’re more in touch with your body and its needs, you begin to trust your mind and body and their reactions. You’ll begin to feel energy shifts when you walk into rooms or engage with others. Your intuition becomes clearer and you’ll be able to tell the difference between “good vibes” and “bad vibes”...and act accordingly.
Anxiety Hack #1: Get up and move your body! It’s pretty hard to give in to feelings of anxiety when you’re engaged in physical activity and those happy hormones, or endorphins, are getting released. This hack works best if you start moving as soon as you begin to experience those anxious thoughts and the adrenaline creeping in because it’ll prevent the anxiety from escalating. Choose a type of exercise you enjoy or even something childlike, such as bouncing on a trampoline or doing the “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” I dare you to try one of those and not crack a giggle. Also, if possible, take it outside for the extra benefits of sunlight, fresh air, and a dose of vitamin D.Anxiety Hack #2: BREATHE. One of the most effective and simple deep breathing exercises for calming anxiety and overall relaxing is the 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil (based off of pranayama yoga.) Here’s how you do it: Find a quiet and comfortable place to either lie down or sit up straight with good posture. Rest the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth. Let your lips part and make an obnoxious whooshing sound as you exhale through your mouth. Then, with your lips closed, inhale through your nose as you count to 4. Hold that breath for 7 counts. Exhale from your mouth for 8 counts. Don’t forget the annoying “whoooooooshhhhh!” It’s key. ;) Do this at least four times.Anxiety Hack #3: Repeat affirmations. Saying affirmations out loud to yourself may seem out there, but can be extremely powerful when it comes to taming anxiety. The following affirmations have worked for me at the peak of an anxiety attack when I’ve felt crippled by that impending feeling of doom and darkness. “I am okay.” “I’ve been here before. This too shall pass.” “I am more than my anxiety.” “I will transform my anxiety into positive, calming energy.” “I breathe out tension and breathe in serenity.” “I breathe out fear and breathe in love.” “I will overcome this like I always do. I am getting stronger and stronger.” “I am safe within myself. There is nothing to fear.” “My body is filled with loving and calming energy.”Anxiety Hack #4: Write it out. Journaling, or just jotting down those thoughts that are running through your mind at the speed of light, in the moment can bring you some peace. If you don’t have a journal, use the notes section of your phone and write out whatever thoughts you have running through your mind. Whether it’s a to-do list of things you need done by the end of the week, a poem, or a bunch of swear words, writing it down (or typing it out) is a form of release. Trust me, you will feel some tension lift.Anxiety Hack #5: Listen to feel good music. Music has a powerful effect on your mood and energy. The key is to listen to happy, calming music, even if that’s not the type of music in your Spotify library. Choose music that reflects the way you want to feel and that will soothe your anxious mind. Personally, my go-to for happy, relaxing beats is anything by Kygo, Sam Feldt, or Bonobo.Anxiety Hack #6: Get in touch with your spiritual side. Connecting to a higher power is pretty much a guaranteed way of calming down feelings of anxiety. Whether you choose to pray, meditate, chant mantras, or hold crystals, doing something spiritual will help ground you and give you peace of mind. My favorite way to calm my restless mind at night is to take an epsom salt bath, turn on my latest Headspace meditation, close my eyes, and just focus on my breathing. Actually, this combines three anxiety hacks into one 10-minute activity - meditating (getting in touch with my spiritual side), deep breathing (hack #2), and self-care (hack #7).Anxiety Hack #7: Show yourself some tender love and self-care. There’s nothing better than stopping an anxiety attack in its tracks by doing something pleasurable for your mind and body. When you feel those dreaded, worry-filled thoughts manifest in your body as a rapid heartbeat or sweaty palms, throw your hands up, say “that’s enough!” and go treat your poor body like royalty. Get a massage, give yourself a facial treatment, get a mani-pedi, take a bath, get your hair did, anything that you know will make you feel good, physically. Taking care of yourself and your body is therapeutic. Self-care is a form of self-love and self-love produces positive thoughts and emotions, which crowd out those negative, fearful feelings.Anxiety Hack #8: Love your anxiety. Yes, you read that right. One of the ways we tend to make our anxiety worse is by judging it and ourselves as something negative and horrible that needs fixing. If there’s one thing you take away from reading this article, I hope it’s this - every belief or behavior has a positive intention, therefore any negative thoughts or destructive behaviors are not the problem. They are just the best solution you have come up with so far. What if, instead of looking at your anxiety as something you hate and want to “fix”, you saw it as the only way your mind knows how to cope with whatever it is you are dealing with? What if you looked at your battles with anxiety as victories that make you a stronger person? What if you listened to what your anxiety is trying to tell you and focus on fixing that problem? The thing about anxiety is, we put so much energy, time, and money into trying to heal the symptoms of anxiety when what we really need to heal is the fear or trauma that triggers this unnerving cascade in the first place. Which brings me to the last hack…Anxiety Hack #9: Listen to and get acquainted with your body. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety and you have no clue why or where they’re coming from, it’s time to take a closer look at your lifestyle choices and health. Three of the top anxiety triggers are caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. If you’re consuming any or all of these, try eliminating them from your diet for a few weeks, preferably a full month. Then, slowly add one in at a time to see how your body responds. Chances are, you won’t go back and if you do, you’ll find a healthier and more moderate way to integrate it into your lifestyle. Health issues, hormonal imbalances, and food allergies can also trigger anxiety. Make sure you know what’s going on inside your body. Knowledge about your body’s natural tendencies and providing your body with nourishing, whole foods is groundbreaking when it comes to managing your anxiety. Once you’re more in touch with your body and its needs, you begin to trust your mind and body and their reactions. You’ll begin to feel energy shifts when you walk into rooms or engage with others. Your intuition becomes clearer and you’ll be able to tell the difference between “good vibes” and “bad vibes”...and act accordingly. https://ift.tt/eA8V8J https://ift.tt/2JdwDqt
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