I’ve spoken about anxiety a lot lately, especially on my blog and my social media. Anxiety is definitely one of those things that literally makes you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and you can’t get rid of it. It is more than this constant worry or fear, it is the feeling of agitation, being constantly on edge and you just can’t control it. When you are feeling completely overwhelmed there are few things that work for me, and a couple of things that bring me back down to earth.
1. Breathing Techniques
I have used these for years, and on my Fitbit it has a relax option, it gives you the option of 2 or 5 minute breathing sessions, I normally do 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening and it works wonders. Just having a few moments to just focus on breathing, staying still and it really help to calm me down.
2. Talk About It
Talking about it is very important to me because I feel like it does make the massive difference. I have a few people that I speak to a lot about how I am feeling, and if I am having a really bad day I will vent how I am feeling and it does make the biggest difference. If you struggle to talk about it in person then writing it down can really help, just getting those feelings out there and expressing how you feel can lift all that emotional weight off your shoulders.
3. Everyone Is Struggling With Something
Just because you see these gorgeous picture perfect feeds all over Instagram, doesn’t always mean that everything is peachy, trust me. We can all post our gorgeous photos but there is so much going on behind those photos. We can be struggling with something, trying to get our feelings across and social media can also be an amazing outlet sometimes.
4. Overthinking Is Not Your Friend
If you have ever seen Pocahontas 2 A Journey to a New World, there is 1 quote in that film that always sits with me.
What if the sky turns to fire and your nose falls off?
That is what I think of when I’m overthinking things, the what if this happens, what if that happens, what if people hate me, what if I make a mistake. And we all do it, but when you combine it with anxiety you are basically on this roundabout that you just can’t get off.
There are 3 things that you should remember when you are having a bad day.
- You are not alone, people do understand how you are feeling trust me. Anxiety can leave you feeling so bloody alone and like no one fully understands how you are feeling.
- We are all human, we all make mistakes and no one is perfect. Everything can be fixed and if it is a problem, a problem shared is a problem halved as my grandparents would say.
- Bad days will get better. The morning will come around, the week will start again, there is always a chance to make a change and to redeem yourself. It will never be the end of the world.
What are your thoughts, what helps you to cope? Let me know in the comments!
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Good post! I agree with you, overthinking isn’t your friend. In fact, it wasted your time and make your situation worse.
Wonderful! This advice really resonates with me – thank you so much for sharing it!
A friend of mine struggles with anxiety, and she has a little laminated card in her wallet. One side just says “remember to breath”, and the other side has four little messages from her “possitive self” to her “anxiety self”. When her anxiety hits, she can take out the card, breath a few times and then read the messages. It helps her a lot.
Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks.
Great post, i suffer from anxiety so i found this really helpful.
My overthinking can be so stressful sometimes as I’m definitely a worrier and it all feeds into each other — thanks for sharing!
Great tips – I find that when I’m feeling anxious and my chest feels tight, sometimes trying to focus on my breathing makes it worse! I find I need to cut off and just think about something completely different – take a few minutes to sit and drink some water/tea (and maybe have a cry)!
Thank you so much for sharing this post sweetheart, I’ve been suffering really badly with my anxiety lately and you always give such wonderful advice. 💜
With love, Alisha Valerie x | http://www.alishavalerie.com
Breathing techniques are super helpful to me when I’m having a bad anxiety day. Thank you for writing such an important, informative and helpful post. <3 xx
Loved this, sucha lovely post to help you feel better on bad days x
This is such a great post! I struggle with anxiety and I have a Fitbit, I didn’t know I had that on there, so I am going to use that. I have been struggling for a week or so with my anxiety being extremely heightened. This post is so helpful. Thank you for sharing xx
Thanks for the great tips. I really struggle with anxiety some days and can resonate so much with this. Overthinking is the bane of my life!! Thanks for the great tips on that too, love the quote from Pocahontis! <3 x
Great post, Breathing techniques are incredible x
It sounds so silly to say, but breathing is such an important thing to practice and just be good at. It helps so much and I feel like you only truly appreciate it if you have anxiety! Over thinking is one of my biggest struggles and I battle so hard to try and ‘not’. One saying that really resonates with me is ‘even the bad days only have 24 hours…’ a little reminder that there is a new beginning just around the corner.
These are great tips! 😊
Overthinking is something I definitely tend to do and I end up so much worse off so a distraction really helps!
Being open and talking about it can help you feel less alone too.
Love Lozza xo
http://girlygabble.com
I overthink everything and trying to let go of those thoughts can help x
These are some really great tips because we all have bad days! I need to learn to be better about talking about things. Thanks for sharing lovely x
Kayleigh Zara 🎃✨ http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
Hi, Amie! I’m very impressed –you’ve really expressed anxiety as it is and also have given great advice. Thank you so much for sharing this!
I agree with you about the breathing techniques. I usually spend breathing a few minutes before going to sleep and, though it may seem something very simple, it does work wonders.
xx, Norma
http://normalinnet.com
Breathing techniques have been a game changer for my anxiety, I’ve been meaning to use the app Headspace as well to relax in mornings as well since I’ve heard such great things about the app.
Talking about it is really important, keeping everything bottled in is definitely not for the best. Even writing everything down in a journal can help as well.
Social media is the highlight reel, and although we sometimes forget it that is the reality of it, there can be a lot more than just what someone shares online.
Overthinking is something I still need to work on not doing, I’m a work in progress for that. The feeling of being alone is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, bad days get better even if we don’t think they will. 🙂
This post is perfect. Having struggled with anxiety for the best part of a decade now, it is so easy to crawl up in my bed and never want to leave. Talking to people who are impartial to it all was the best thing – and trying not to believe everything you see like you said. Great post!
Talking about it does really help. I suffer daily but since going to the doctor and talking to family members it really helped xx
I haven’t seen Pocahontas 1 or 2 but that quote is just brilliant! And I also completely agree with your point about bad days passing and it not being the end of the world. Love this post, Amie, so helpful and encouraging, thank you X
Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com
This is all such great advice for someone who has anxiety! Overthinking is the worst for me, but sometimes I can even talk myself out of overthinking and see how ridiculous I’m being. I think it’s important to find what works for each individual person, but you’ve definitely given some great tips to help someone who may be struggling!
Emily | https://www.thatweirdgirllife.com
I wrote a post on overthinking because I’m absolutely terrible for it. I’m a lot better than I used to be but I still catch myself doing it at times. 🙂
Sarah 🌺 || Boxnip || Latest Post
This is such a helpful post, Amie! Thank you for sharing your tips and experience. Breathing exercises really calm me down too, it’s good to have something to focus on instead of stress and worry <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
You’re such a wonderful post – and not only because you’re so open about stuff like this. I don’t suffer with anxiety but I am a huge worrier so breathing techniques help me!
Rosie
Very helpful post, my anxiety has got on top of me a lot lately and these are all good things that help! X
I definitely needed to read this
I love how you are expressing the idea that anxiety is not just sort of experienced by one person. Knowing that it is a shared experience can really help a person to feel empowered in their journey and connected with others. Totally agree with your tips. Thanks for the lovely written post.
Laura / https://www.laustworld.com/
I’m terrible for over thinking! I remember being in tears one morning because I had to travel to London for work by myself (I’d never been to that office) and my mind had spun off on such a tangent I was worried I’d get the wrong train, or get lost and not be able to get back.
As it happened, I did get lost, but I did find my way again!
Em x
http://Www.emsworldblog.com
Lovely post! Anxiety is horrible and so limiting. Great tips. I find talking really helps with processing and coping with the situation 🙂 Helen xo