8 Simple Tips for Overcoming Anxiety

Anxiety happens to us all. It can strike before a performance, or an important speech or presentation. It can happen in the waiting room while you are waiting to see the dentist for a routine check-up. You can start to feel nervous, with butterflies in your stomach, complicated by the fact that your thoughts are in a jumbled mess. Anxiety can be a debilitating response when you are doing your best to get on with your life.
Our lives are busy and we need to remind ourselves that we are simply reacting in proportion to the degree of the stress that we experience on a daily basis. It is good to appreciate why we react as we do. The more we honestly understand the underlying issue, the greater the chance we have to resolve our emotional baggage and live a happier life.

Here are a few tips that might help you with overcoming anxiety.

1. Take deep even breaths. Sometimes when you are in an anxious situation, you might not be breathing properly. You may be just taking shallow breaths. To energies your body, take 30 deep into-the-belly breaths. You will feel a lot calmer as your anxiety dissipates. This is a simple method that can help process negative emotions such as anger and anxiety.
2. Be confident. Uncertainty causes anxiety. When you have confidence, combined with knowledge, you can plan ahead to help bring certainty and have an understanding of the next probable situation. Research your topic well and plan your delivery before going into any important presentation or speech. Be passionate about your topic and you will naturally inspire others who hear you talk.
3. Distract yourself. If you feel that you do not have enough time to do something that takes up a lot of time, why not take a short break? Watching a half hour episode of a comedy show or a funny YouTube clip can be a welcome break from your anxiety and can help you to relax your mind. If you have the time, call up a friend and have a good chat. Being connected with a friend will energise you and feeling supported will be a welcome comfort. Even better, go to the gym or have a night out so you can get a fresh perspective.
4. Have regular meals and keep hydrated. It may not seem important but skipping meals when you are in a rush to meet a deadline can make you irritated, nervous and anxious. When you feel irritable or anxious, check the time. It might be just your low blood sugar and your body needs to feed. Being dehydrated also can cause headaches and migraines. It’s important to keep a bottle of water nearby and take regular sips. It is also a good way to take a break.
5. Prioritise. It is important to categorize the list of things you need to do. Put the most important task at the top of the list. Make sure you finish doing it. Then, as you go through the tasks, you will not be thinking about how to complete everything at once. You will know that you are finishing your tasks step by step. The feeling of being able to cross the tasks off the list is extremely satisfying.
6. Be positive. Being anxious is a negative emotion energetically. If you allow the feelings to overrule, you can sink into a deeper rut. Do your best to think positively and immerse yourself in your work. Without realizing it, you can have one task finished and you can proceed to another one.
7. Keep yourself grounded. Do not try to overwhelm yourself with too many things at once. Anxiety is a fear of the future. Try to stay grounded and keep thinking in the present. Don’t waste your thoughts on imaginary and unnecessary things that may or may not happen. Just pay attention to the present moment and what can be done now.
8. Relax. It is really important to find ways to relax when you are overcoming anxiety. BodyTalk is great for relaxing the physical and emotional body/mind. Other examples of ways to relax are meditation, or practicing yoga. When you pick up a few good techniques that work for you, and practice them whenever you feel anxious, you can function better and feel happier.