Guest Post: 7 Steps to a Less Anxious Life

I have talked your virtual ears off over this past year about my journey through postpartum depression and anxiety.  Y'all know how prayer really helped me although I learned that I couldn't just "pray my way out" of it.  I needed other strategies to cope.   I want to share some tips from another survivor.

 Today’s Guest Post is From Laura Elliott, author of Project Feel Good – a blog dedicated to understanding and coping with fear, stress and anxiety. 

7 Tips for a Less Anxious Life 

 

 
1. Accept Your Anxiety–It’s Partof You

For years I battled anxiety, it was my deepest darkest enemy. I’d swing between pretending it didn’t exist and attacking it head on, neither strategy worked. Then it dawned on me, “It’s just anxiety, it could be diabetes, it could be asthma, but in my case it’s anxiety and that’s ok – I just need to manage it”. From that day on I accepted my anxiety as a part of me and started exploring ways to cope with anxiety and live a happier life.

 
2. Do More of the Things that Make You Feel Good

As the wonderful Nirvana Mama says, "Follow Your Bliss."  Instead of focusing on the things you find difficult, focus on the things that you enjoy.  Make time for "feel good activities", in my case this means time for yoga, gardening, reading, and writing.  Following my passion has boosted my self-esteem, increased my energy levels, helped me to de-stress and ultimately given me the strength to deal with anxiety when it strikes.

 
3. Surround Yourself with Positivity and Love

When you are in the grips of anxiety, it’s natural to want to run away and hide, yet often, just talking about it and spending time with others really helps to put things back in perspective. Having friends and family members that care about you and support you, makes the dark days much easier. Take time to nurture your existing relationships and build new ones. Consider letting go of relationships that are no longer good for you.

 
4. Slow Down and Simplify Your Life 

It’s often when we have a lot on the go at once that we feel anxious. If you’re jumping from one thing to another, not finishing anything, arriving late for appointments, skipping breakfast…it’s a recipe for an anxious life. So get up a little earlier, eat breakfast each morning, clear out the clutter in your house, reduce the number of commitments you have and let go of the need to be perfect, sometimes “good enough is good enough.”   

 
5. Count Your Blessings 

I don’t know whether it is because I am getting older, or whether it’s because I’m a mother or maybe it’s because I’ve lost people that are close to me – but one thing I have learned is ‐ life is precious. Take time each day to count your blessings. Keeping a journal or taking photos is a fantastic way to stockpile special moments so you can look back on them in the future.  

 
6. Reach Out to Others 

A great way to ease anxiety is to focus on others rather than focusing on yourself. Curiosity is a wonderful attribute and you can develop it by slowing down and noticing what is around you. Practice asking open questions and really listening to what others say. Do things that make other people feel good and you can’t help but feel good yourself. 

 
7. Your Body is Your Temple 

My final tip is to love and nurture your body. Understand its natural rhythms and cycles. In essence ‐ take care of yourself. Eat a healthy balanced diet, exercise regularly, take time to relax, look after your skin, hair and nails, pro‐actively manage any health conditions, drink less alcohol and drink more water.  

 
Have you struggled with anxiety?  What helped/helps you?  Share your tips in the comments!