Things that help to calm an anxious mind.

As I’m sure anyone with anxiety is well aware, some days are good and some are bad. Some days I feel like I’m on top of the world and some days I have so much anxiety that my anxiety gives me more anxiety. It’s as though I am fearing the fear itself.

Thankfully, over the years, I’ve managed to come up with a few means to calm myself down when I need to get my balance in check. I think of it much like self-care, but not in the way that most lists you find around the internet make it out to sound. No face masks, no essential oils, just balance. Balance is key, I find.

1. Playing https://rainymood.com/. There’s something so peaceful about the sound of rain for me that it reminds the mind to simmer down and take life easy.
2. Go to Yoga. Now this one is important to me. I am not a Yogi. I am not even a regular visitor to the yoga studio. Yoga is HARD. But, yoga is also exceptionally calming. Being in a room that peaceful with as many people around me all wanting the same peace I am seeking, it’s motivating to calm down. Putting yourself in an environment that promotes what you’re seeking, I have found to be exceptionally helpful to my well being.
3. Cut the caffeine. This is because when I am anxious, caffeine only makes me worse. On days when I’m extremely anxious, I won’t have any caffeine at all.
4. Getting a manicure. Sitting in the chair of a nail salon and having a stranger massage your fingers and clean up your cuticles is very calming. The salon’s always play relaxing music and it’s nice to just have someone else look after you, even if it is only for a half hour or forty minutes. I highly recommend this, even if you’re a guy. You don’t need to even paint your nails. Just having someone look after you is worth it.
5. Taking in fresh air. Fresh air is good for the mind, body and soul. Whether it’s walk, a bike ride, or just sitting on my deck and reading a book, the fresh air of the outdoors always helps me find my calm. Furthermore, it’s a thought-blocker to hear the birds chirping and the squirrels running. #DoubleWhammy
6. Telling myself that my fear is trash. Writing down what is wrong, everything that is negative or everything that I am afraid of and then tearing up the paper and throwing it away. It’s very therapeutic to throw away all of your fears, even if it is only metaphorical.
7. Talk to someone who cares. I don’t need to talk about my anxiety, my fear or anything of the sort. Sometimes, just talking to someone makes me feel so much better. It helps me feel normal and connected with the world. It’s also a welcome distraction.
8. Rewatching episodes of Friends or Frasier. These are my two favourite tv shows of all time. I don’t have Netflix, I use ‘ProjectFreeTV’. At this point in time I’ve seen Friends so much that I could likely regurgitate every line from every episode. But hey, you like what you like. And it helps when you know that something makes you smile.
9. Colour. Adult colouring books are one of the greatest things to come to market in the past 10 years, for me. There’s something so soothing about pulling out my container of markers and opening up my colouring book. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for some peace in their life.
10. Read a book. Or Read WordPress blog posts. Or read the newspaper. Or read anything. Because reading slows down the thoughts in my mind. And, if the thoughts in my mind slow down then the anxiety slows down. Reading someone else’s words is quite often the thing that helps the most. I think that’s why I find myself on this website so much.

Of course, everyone is so individual when it comes to anxiety that what works for someone might not make a difference for someone else. I think it’s all about trying to find the balance in your mind. So, if anyone has any suggestions of what they do to help calm themselves when they get anxious, I would love if you could share them with me.