When we’re hit with sudden feelings of worry or anxiety, a sense of impending doom may begin to fill your mind and it becomes hard to escape from. Many people will speak of anxiety as though it runs rampant and everyone has some kind of remedy. They will usually say something about being “mindful,” try yoga or maybe even exercise, but should dealing with anxiety really be a one size fits all? Does what works for one, really work for everyone?
That most likely isn’t the case. Everyone should personalize the things that help put them at ease, to relieve themselves from anxiety.
Here are some helpful ways to find what works for you.
1. Start with Hobbies
Start with the things that you enjoy in your spare time. Often, when you are enjoying yourself, your mind isn’t drifting to the areas that cause you strife. Keeping your mind occupied is a good way to ensure that it isn’t dwelling in the areas where stressful thoughts lie. So if you aren’t one for physical activities, benefits aside, start with what interests you. Any hobby that you enjoy is a good place to begin when finding stress relief.
2. Don’t Overindulge
It may be easy to give in to your leisure, but don’t overindulge. Your hobbies are a good place to begin, but with too much leisure time, it may be too easy to slip into a harmful mindset and allow stress to take over. Your hobbies can even become the source of your stress. should be done in moderation. Remember to take a break from whatever you choose to occupy yourself with.
3. Be Open
To find what works best for you, you might have to be open to trying new things. Even if the activity is out of your comfort zone, it may be just what you need.
More importantly, you may need to spend enough time to acquaint yourself with this new activity. Trying it once and swearing it off because of your preconceived notion that you wouldn’t enjoy it may not allow you to obtain the benefits of that activity. Staying open to trying new activities will allow you to relieve stress in ways you never thought possible.
4. Go With What Feels Right
At the end of the day, you know yourself the best. You know what will benefit you, and what won’t. Remember that there are healthy ways to cope with stress, and unhealthy ways. Try your best to go down a healthy route that will benefit your mindset in the long run. Others may have good intentions in suggesting ways to deal with your stress, but ultimately it’s your call. Go with what you know works for you and commit to it to relieve stress.
Reflect & Refresh 