The Routines I Use to Minimize My Anxiety
/If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I have anxiety. I’ve had it ever since I was a kid, and share my story on IG and on here every so often. I think talking about mental health on my blog is really important for two main reasons. First, it is very therapeutic for me to process my anxiety and really reflect on it by writing and constructing thoughts that make sense. The second reason is that it shows my readers that if they are dealing with similar situations, they are not alone. I cannot tell you how much it means when I get messages from you telling me how much they understand what I’m going through and how grateful they are for me sharing my story because they can relate to it.
It has been no secret that I have been really struggling with my anxiety in the last two months. It’s probably the worst that it has ever been, but I feel like I’m finally turning the corner. While I know that anxiety is something that I will likely have to deal with for the rest of my life, there are definitely moments of highs and lows. My goal with this post is to share what has helped me in the last few weeks in hopes that it will help even one reader. Even if you already know everything I’m writing, I hope you just recognize that this is something I deal with. I don’t ever, for even one moment, want you to think my life is completely put together and stress-free. I want you to recognize me as a safe space and open person who’s willing to talk to you if you need it.
Find your person to vent to.
I find that when I’m anxious, I need to word vomit everything out of me, as if to hear out loud what I’m thinking, recognize it as completely irrational and not true, and call it what it is; my anxiety talking. Whether you say it out loud to someone, or you write it out, I think finding someone that is a safe space to say things is important. Knowing that they won’t hold it against you, the thoughts you need to get out in the moment, is a great feeling. For me this person has been my boyfriend, but it can be anyone you feel like you can trust.
Eat a good breakfast.
What I eat really affects my thoughts when I’m anxious, so I always make sure to not skip breakfast because it starts my day off on the right foot. When I have a good breakfast, I seem to make healthier choices throughout the rest of the day in regards to my diet, and it’s crazy how much what I eat can affect my mood.
Move your body everyday.
When I hurt my tailbone and had to drop my entire workout regimen, my anxiety skyrocketed. I knew that I needed to rest and let my body heal, but it really messed with my head. You don’t have to have intense workouts every day, but focusing on moving my body every day is really important for me to lessen my anxiety. Now that my injury is healed, I am working out almost every day (some days it’s just a walk though so don’t be intimidated) and it’s the thing that I think is helping me the most to get back on track.
Get more sleep.
I have been sleeping so well ironically through this time of anxiety and I think it’s because I’m emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. Allowing myself to say, “I’m tired…I need to go to bed early tonight” has been really important in this journey. However, my anxiety seems to strike midday from about 11 am to 5 pm, so I think this also might be why. I usually wake up less anxious and go to bed the same way, but this could be different for you. My point is to really push yourself to get the rest your body needs during this time.
Make a list of happy activities.
This is something I find really useful for days when I am really struggling. I have a list of activities that make me really happy, that lives in my purse. These are things I can easily do so that if I feel anxiety growing, I can pull the list out, pick an activity and shift my focus somewhere else. My list has things like watch my favorite Netflix show, read a book, call a family member or friend, do yoga, or cook a meal. I typically carry a book with me always because I love escaping into a good story for a moment, but regardless of what your happy activities are, writing them out really helps you in the moment when you can read it.
Re-evaluate your goals.
In the last few months, I’ve had to reevaluate my goals and decide what’s important in this time when I’m going through some tougher times. It’s ok to say, I don’t have the mental capacity for this right now, and make it a goal for later on. I know it can feel defeating to do this sometimes, but your mental health needs to be a priority and that goal can wait.
Work on setting boundaries.
This one can be really hard and I am definitely working on it. I’m proud of excusing myself from conversations and just flat out saying no to things that I can’t entertain while I’m working on myself right now. You are allowed to say “I have too much on my plate right now”. You don’t have to explain yourself to people if you don’t want to. Those who love and support you will understand.
Overall, I hope this post helps you feel less alone if you are also dealing with anxiety or any mental health issue. Go follow my Instagram here if you are wanting to read more about my posts on my anxiety. This is a topic that I will continue to talk about and I hope you know how loved and beautiful you are.
Have a beautiful day,
Andrea
