Here are my favorite anxiety soothing practices.
I’ve always had a lot of mental energy. I was “restless” “couldn’t pay attention”, you know, all those familiar things. But I was always a “good kid”. Convenient for teachers, my parents, work. I held my energy in so tightly it had to come out somewhere.
I thought I was different, and not in a good way. I had a sense I was smart, but I also held this feeling that nothing came as easily to me as it did to everyone else. Why can everyone else focus? Why can’t I focus? Why can’t I sit for 8 hours and work? Why am I not happy with things that other people are happy with? Again, I knew there were special things about me, but it’s hard when most of the world seems to be doing so well with the mundane. But you know, it’s not the whole world, it’s just the world that’s currently doing the things you’re doing. Maybe you need to be doing different things?
I am not a doctor, you should talk to your doctor and/or therapist before trying this or any internet advice. I talk to both of mine regularly. 🙂
Quick & Helpful Tips
- Magnesium. I take Calm Magnesium Supplement. Start with 1/2 tsp. You’ll know if you’ve taken too much because…you’ll be in the bathroom. Have an eye-twitch? Too much caffeine or sugar? Magnesium deficiency can really effect how you feel.
- Talk to a friend that makes you feel good.
- Exercise. Moving your body to music, stretching in the bathroom on your break, walking outside…anything you can do will burn off stress hormones and fill you with endorphins. See my article on building a habit if you need a little inspiration.
- Put on some great music!
- L-Theanine. This is the calming agent in green tea. You can buy L-Theanine here. The Sun Theanine type seems to be the most well reviewed. It’s sold under many brands including my local co-op’s brand.
Fixing The Problems
Sometimes you need a short term solution to get through. In order to get your anxiety to a sustainable level, you have to take a look at underlying issues over the long-term.
- Therapy or Counseling. Don’t be afraid of this. I know how hard it can be to find the right person, but when you do, it’s so worth it. My fears were that the therapist would push me into decisions I was afraid to or didn’t want to make. I was afraid they would think I was crazy. None of that was true. They are there to help you shine a light on limiting beliefs.
- Self help. I did this for a lot of years before therapy and I continue today. Articles from reputable psychology website can help guide you. There are so many wonderful books, podcasts, etc.
- Getting through the issues you’re avoiding. This one can be hard, but essential. If you know that thing that is a trigger for you, work with a therapist, a trusted friend, etc. to start taking steps to get through, rather than around, the thing that’s bugging you.
