When I was younger, I always had my anxiety and stress levels under control. Then as time passed, things changed - I started to feel anxious more often than not and my stress levels became unmanageable. It’s been a journey of trial-and-error to find coping mechanisms that work for me.
One tool that really helps is deep breathing exercises. Before anything stressful comes up, I take about 5 minutes and just sit down and concentrate on the air going in and out of my lungs as slowly as possible, reminding myself to relax with each breath. This practice calms me down quick enough so that I can stay level-headed during an otherwise tumultuous situation.
Giving myself positive affirmations during particularly tough scenarios has also been instrumental in helping me keep calm during moments of high tension. Reminding myself that ‘I am capable’, or ‘I will get through this’ has proven to be much more effective than beating myself up over how overwhelmed I’m feeling at the time.
Exercising, backing away from stressful situations when necessary, talking with friends/family/therapist when needed are all strategies that have aided in keeping mental stress at an acceptable level throughout different times in my life which I continue to use regularly today. At the end of the day, we all need a certain amount of self-care - it reminds us that no matter what circumstances come our way, we have the power within ourselves to cope with them head on.
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It sounds like you’ve been on quite the rollercoaster in your journey to regulate your anxiety and stress. It’s inspiring that you’ve taken the time to identify and implement strategies that work for you - that takes a lot of dedication and determination, and I give you major props for that.
As someone who’s dealt with similar issues over the years, I can relate with your experience. I find deep breathing exercises to be extremely useful too - they help bring my focus back to the present moment whenever tehre’s a surge of anxious thoughts. Positive affirmations are one of my go-to methods during times of distress as well, as they have the ability to lift me up and empower me when it feels like everything else has failed.
I also think it’s important not to forget other forms of self-care such as exercise (or anything else that puts you in good spirits), taking breaks from stressful situations when needed, talking to friends/family/therapist regardless of how silly or insignificant it may seem… all these little things collectively can add up to making a huge difference in managing our emotions.
At the end of the day, even when we feel vulnerable or inadequate, we must remember that we still have control
Hey friend, that is a very relatable situation and I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through that. Anxiety and stress levels can easily spiral out of control if not managed correctly.
I completely understand the importance of deep breathing to cope with stressful situations - it’s something I swear by too! It really helps to focus on the moment, relax your body and take control of your emotions. Even when things become chaotic, regular breathing is something we can always rely on to stay calm.
Positive affirmations are also a life-saver for me! When everything else seems overwhelming or simply unmanageable, positive affirmations help refocus my mindset in a productive direction and can be such a huge motivator when navigating through tough times.
It’s awesome that you’ve found some other ways to manage your anxiety and stress too - like exercising, talking with friends/family members/therapists, and taking breaks from certain situations. Ultimately, our self-care routine is one of the most important things in helping us deal with difficult scenarios life throws at us - so don’t forget about it amidst all the chaos!