Three Things That Help with My Anxiety

I have high and low seasons with anxiety. However, the past couple months I've been practicing a couple things weekly that have really helped quiet my mind. Anxiety is scary, but I do believe there a few ways we can minimize the chaos in our head...

putting time limits on rest

When my emotions are high, I find myself very tired. So naturally, I told myself that "I need rest." Then, I ran into a problem. I'd get home from work at 5pm, fix dinner, see my boys, and lay in bed to watch tv. I started to noticed it would be 9:00pm and I'd still feel tired.

The rest helped me and hurt me. When I begin to tell myself, "At 8:30pm, we're getting up. We don't have to clean, but we need to move our body and find something to do." This really changed things for me. I would end up taking a hot shower, doing dishes, or starting laundry anyway. Good things, like rest, in balanced increments has helped my anxiety slow down.

jesus calling in my purse

I am not someone who gets up at 5:00am. I am a total night owl these days! That being said, I don't have a structured devotion routine in the morning. I'll journal twice a week, but it's rarely ever at the same time.

Lately, when I head into the office and get there early, I'll get out my Jesus Calling book. I've been keeping it in my purse and it is so powerful to read, especially when you only have three extra minutes.

I could feel like a hot mess and their devotions can ground you so quickly. Reading a couple pages a week before work has helped me significantly in staying calm. It makes me feel more confident in who I am and what I can do. 

writing 2x a week

About twice a week, I spend time writing. I can say whatever I want and once it's on the paper, it's less likely to stress me out. It's like talking for five minutes nonstop without annoying your best friend because it's just your journal, lol.

I have found so much healing in writing. It reminds me that emotions are just right now, not forever. When I write about something I'm anxious for, I scribble out all the details. "I don't like this. That is confusing. Could I have responded better?"

Once I've fleshed out the nerves, nausea, & sadness, I turn it into a prayer. Oftentimes, I feel calm and focused within hours. I strongly believes God is so near to us and will give us peace when we ask for it. 

I didn't start doing these things all on the same day. They are habits that took time to adapt to. However, I do know, my anxiety has dramatically went down since bringing more of these healthy habits into my week. Thanks for coming by. I hope one of these things will help you feel more calm and survive the day ahead!

*I'd love to know. What habits help with your anxiety?