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5 Ways to Lower Your Anxiety

by | Jan 17, 2021 | Anxiety, Counseling, DBT, Emotional Support Animal, Highly Sensitive People (HSP)

5 Ways to Lower Your Anxiety

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Anxiety. It happens to all of us yet we have a hard time admitting it to ourselves and loved ones.

We may be anxious about a test grade, a group task with an approaching deadline, going on a first date, or even an anxious thought for no reason at all. 

Read below for 5 ways to lower your anxiety

1) Focus on what is going on right now, in the present moment. Many of us worry about what happened in the past or what might happen in the future.

2) Check your thoughts and be realistic. Ask yourself if your thoughts are reasonable. Will this feeling last forever? Can I control what will happen in the future? In reality, you can only control yourself and your reactions.

3) Deep breathing. Breathe in for 4… Hold for 4… and Out for 6. The numbers don’t matter as long as you breathe out longer than the count for your inhale. The idea is to slow your heart rate and help your body handle the situation a bit more calmly.

4) Grounding. Remember this: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Use your senses. This helps your mind to focus less on the anxious thoughts and more on the task at hand. Look for:

  • 5 things you can see
  • 4 things you can hear
  • 3 things you can touch
  • 2 things you can smell
  • 1 thing you can taste

5) Talk with a loved one. This can be a friend, spouse, family member, whoever helps you to feel safe and supported.

Go have a calming cup of tea (here’s my favorite). Talk through your thoughts, emotions, worries, etc. If you don’t have someone available at the moment, write down your thoughts in a journal or note app on your phone.

It’s much better than keeping it bottled up inside.

BONUS ACTIVITY

 Try this activity to see how present-minded and mindful you can be. Get comfortable.

 

When you’re ready, start a stopwatch and let it run. With your eyes closed, try and guess when 1 minute has passed.

No counting allowed! Try to think about absolutely nothing. If you have an anxious thought, divert it away and only think about this moment.

How long did you go? Did you make it to 1 minute?

Bonus Goodie! I’ve got a discount code for $5 off the Anti Anxiety Notebook. Use code rbcounseling5.  This notebook keeps me sane with my busy schedule. The notebook has prompts to break down describe the situation you’re in, describe your thoughts, note the intensity, identify thought patterns, challenge your unhelpful thinking, and gives you room to do some extra journaling. It prompts you every step of the way. Obviously, I’m loving it. Check it out for yourself here

 To discuss how therapy could help you during this season of your life, please contact me or schedule your free 15 minute consultation.

 You have already taken the first step in seeking help and I can’t wait to help you achieve your goals!

Want to read more? Here are a few of my related blog posts you may be interested in checking out!

 “Anxiety and Covid-19″

– “Panic Attacks vs. Anxiety Attacks: How To Tell The Difference”

 

Check out the items mentioned in the blog post above

along with a few extra goodies we think you’ll love!

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