I find that anxiety is often the biggest barrier in my life. Too anxious to sleep, to make the call, to advocate for myself.
I know it’s something that affects millions of others, not least when we’ve lived through a bloody global pandemic.
Here are a few things I do when I’m feeling at my most anxious, which help things - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.
Change of Environment
Hate to say it, but fresh air and a bit of exercise really do help. Look at us all, going off for our silly little walks for our silly mental health. Sitting and stewing at home is often the worst thing I do, and although putting my shoes on and getting out might be the last thing I want to do, I always come back refreshed.
Nourishment
Again with the bad news. Alcohol and crap food are sh*t for anxiety. I often find that the process of choosing something lovely to eat, getting the ingredients and then cooking for my family is enough to stave off some of the worst kind of gremlins. But don’t forget to eat chocolate - chocolate always helps.
Chat About It
This one does require another person, preferably someone you trust and can say anything to. I’ll have so much going on in my head sometimes that Will will just tell me to spit it out, and once I have, he will help me to realise that it’s not all that bad, actually. And if it is, we can work on a solution. I think just speaking it out loud is a good first step, too.
Worry Time
I allow myself a certain amount of time to think about, in detail, all of the absolute worst case scenarios that could be the outcome of my worry. It’s painful and horrible but once I think about it, I can usually push away the thoughts more easily, because I’ve thought about them - does that make sense? Basically, I think trying *not* to worry is worse (and often futile), so I tell myself I’ll have 15 minutes of pure, no holds barred worry - then start letting it go or working on the solution for the most likely scenario.
Sending love x