Some things to try the next time you find anxiety creeping up on you.

Breathe with intention

Yeah, it’s easy to say “just breathe” but have you ever breathed in “light” air and exhaled out “dark”? What I mean is when you inhale, imagine calm, white, anxiety-free light air coming in and when you exhale, imagine dark, clouded, anxious energy going out of your body. This may sound strange but this deep breathing with imagery may help calm you down. It also clears space inside yourself to let in peaceful and positive thoughts and feelings. If you’re all cramped up with shame, self-judgement and thinking you’re not good enough, there’s no room for self-compassion, love and self-care. You may also want come up with a repetitive statement that fits to you, like “I am anxious now, but I’m choosing to release the anxiety now.” “I am anxious now, but I will focus on things I am grateful for instead.”

Splash yourself.

Take a shower to reset your senses. And better yet, turn the shower on cold! If even for a moment, cold water has shown to relieve anxiety. Dipping your hands into a bowl of ice water is another way to do this if you don’t have time for a shower. Sheri Heller, a NYC psychotherapist says, “Sensorial stimulation with cold water can break through dissociative feelings that often accompany anxiety and offer immediate relief from heightened cortisol levels.” Read the full article here.

Meet a friend.

You can really get inside your own when you’re having a bad anxiety moment. But being in the company of a friend may dissipate it, as it will get your mind working and churning in other directions. The antidote to anxiety and shame is trust and connection. Try it. Or if you can’t be with someone, FaceTime them or call a friend. By the end of the call you may find yourself calmer and more relaxed.

Do something nice for someone else.

Doing something nice for someone else takes your mind off your own problems and makes you feel great in the process. A win win. Ask a friend if they need help with a project or surprise someone with a prepared dinner. We all can make time to help others even if it’s sending a text complimenting someone on something they did. Refocusing your energy on others is great way to refocus and lessen your anxiety.

No More Martinis

Booze can feel like an escape but it actually makes anxiety worse. Plus, even if you’re passed out and sleep a long time after drinking, that sleep is not quality sleep. Quality sleep is a great medicine for reducing anxiety and improving your overall mental health, so don’t skimp on that. Plus, alcohol is a depressant so if you’re mood is slipping, don’t give it more fuel to cruise on a downward path.

Watch your favorite comedy.

When I’m in a sh*t mood, I Google “Seinfeld bloopers” and within minutes, the world seems a little lighter. Speaking of the legend himself, Jerry Seinfeld kept a photo of the Universe while on set to ease his anxiety, reminding him that he’s “insignificant”, something that calmed him. An interesting perspective when our own problems begin to be too much. Think of yourself in a grander scheme and then turn to your favorite comedy and see that maybe all you need is a little more cowbell.

Write and Burn.

Recently, Liz Fisher from Tap Into Health, suggested I write a letter to someone who was causing me distress. She said to write the letter and then burn it, essentially releasing and letting all of those negative thoughts go. I rolled my eyes, yeah, like that will help… but later decided to do it. What did I have to lose? Both the writing part and the burning part felt SO freeing. I could move on with the day and my life. Releasing that into the world freed up space inside for more positives things to come my way.

Hope these anxiety hacks are useful to you. You’re not alone in your anxious thoughts and behaviors, but there are ways to quickly lessen anxiety. What are your favorite hacks to relieve anxiety? Let me know in the comments!

Jen