If you experience anxiety, there are things you can do to help feel better. This time of the year brings many pressures that can get you down. Take control of things before things take control of you.

We all get so busy. And as we prepare for Christmas, we ‘have so much to do.’ No wonder many people feel anxious and stressed! Whether your anxiety has a particular cause, or is just the result of mounting demands, you can do something about it.

Thoughts

Thoughts affect feelings. Anxiety is a feeling, so if you are feeling anxious, it makes sense to look at what you are thinking. Are you catastrophising? – over-dramatising events in your mind? Looking only at the negative? Forgetting the positives?

There are many ways your thinking could be out of sync with reality. When you think negative or unhelpful thoughts, you are ‘feeding’ the anxiety. You can change this if you want to. What could you think instead?

Does it really matter if you don’t complete everything on your ‘to do’ list? Perhaps there are a few things there that are not really important in the overall scheme of things? Could you re-think what you need to do? Make things simpler?

Actions

What you do with your body affects how you feel and how you think. Our three ‘intelligence centres’ (head, heart and gut) are all connected. What you do with each one affects the other two. Changing what you are doing helps relieve anxious feelings. Even changing position helps. Sitting down? Stand up and walk around. Go outside. Breathe fresh air.

Working hard? Take a break. Sit down. Relax. Meditate. Observe your breathing. Notice what each part of your body feels like. Take positive actions. Think: ’What is the next best thing I could do right now, in this moment?’ And then go and do it.

To know more about anxiety, see Anxiety, and for more detailed strategies to manage it, see Managing Anxiety. You will feel so much better! And get in touch with us if you would like further help.

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Between Stimulus and Response, man has the freedom to choose (Stephen Covey)