Our world is extremely fast paced. Everything is right at our fingertips. For example, I spoke to a machine (aka Alexa 😉) the other day and told it I need new razors and boom it was shipped to my door, just like that. Instant gratification is nice and we have all enjoyed it at some point. However, instead of being a benefit to some situations, it has become something we expect. When a problem arises, let’s say blood work from the doctor comes back unfavorable, the first response is to panic and say, “how do I fix this as fast as possible?” Give me the instant gratification. But instant gratification makes managing anxiety very difficult.
Keep reading or watch my YouTube video below to find out my 5 tips for managing anxiety quickly.
5 Tips for Managing Anxiety
I get it, you usually want the instant gratification when it comes to getting the health results you want. You want it to be quick because you don’t want to feel bad, be in pain, suffer anxiety, feel run down, suffer from an autoimmune attack, or whatever else ails you. You just want to feel good so you can get on with your life.
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for any chronic symptom, but there are steps you can take to get relief pretty quickly. Read below for my top 5 tips for managing anxiety.
Don’t Panic
We take the pill to fix the ill before being thoughtful at all and doing our own research, soul searching, or problem solving. The solution we chose most of the time is to react, not respond. Reacting is emotionally driven, usually doesn’t require much thought, and is not always the best choice. On the other hand, responding is thinking through your choices to make the best possible choice for you.
In most situations, except maybe in an emergency, panic isn’t needed. We could instead, slow down. We could sit back and take it in being extremely thoughtful about the full situation. Sometimes allowing yourself to feel the whole situation fully makes room for true lifestyle change. Getting to the root cause and truly healing takes thoughtfulness.
Taking in the full situation and being fully thoughtful of the situation helps make managing anxiety easier. Choose to respond, instead of react.
Breathe
Managing anxiety is much easier when you breathe thoughtfully. Breathing thoughtfully also makes responding easier. The reason for this is if you panic, you tend to hold your breathe or take shallow breaths, keeping your nervous system in the sympathetic or “fight or flight” mode. Start paying attention to your breath and where it is. If it is up high in your chest, bring it down to the lower part of your lungs (this is called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing). Belly breathing helps you manage anxiety by switching your nervous system into the parasympathetic or “rest and digest” mode.
Positive Affirmations
Every cell hears your thoughts. If your thoughts are creating chaos in your brain, they will create chaos in the rest of your body as well, making managing anxiety difficult. Most of the chaotic thoughts disrupting your peace are lies your mind is making up. Take captive your thoughts. Stop them in their tracks and combat them with the truth. Be thoughtful with the truth and continue to affirm to yourself what the truth and reality actually are.
Eat Real Food
Managing anxiety is made much easier when you eat real food (as opposed to the processed Standard American Diet). The gut and the brain are connected via the Gut-Brain Axis. Certain food increases the production of hormones and neurotransmitters that send signals to the brain that all is good. Your microbiota (the microorganisms in your gut) are also fed by what you eat. If you are eating real, whole food, healthy bacteria grows. If you are eating processed food, unhealthy bacteria grows.
Eating a diet based on whole food eases mental illness and makes managing anxiety easier.
Supplements can also play a key role in managing anxiety. Here is a link to my favorite supplements that help to curb your stress response. Don’t feel like you have to take a fist full of supplements everyday. Start with one and note any differences it makes. If I had to pick one, I would definitely pick the magnesium glycinate!
Improve Your Sleep
Who doesn’t get anxious, irritable and short tempered when you’re running on little sleep? Getting enough good quality sleep is important for managing anxiety successfully. The tips from above will help improve your sleep, but if you need more help, check out my Energy Elixir here.
I hope you find these tips helpful. As always, if you know someone that would benefit, please pass this along. And I’d love to hear from you! Do you having any helpful tips for managing anxiety? Comment with your favorite.
