
Doesn’t it seem that there’s an endless supply of stuff to stress & worry about? While a certain amount of worrying can be useful. By directing our attention to issues that need to be managed, a bit like a “To Do List” that helps prioritise your time. But, when you can’t switch off & worry leads to constant anxiety, a line has been crossed and things have gone way beyond being useful.
So what can you do about that? Just how do you switch off when your mind is running at a million miles an hour with all the things that you need to do by tomorrow morning? Whether the endless list is real or imagined? I mean…do you really (and I mean really) need to get everything done right NOW? No, I didn’t think so!
It can be hard to stop the cycling thoughts when you’re in that head space. The very time you need that breathing exercise you learnt, is the time you’ll forget about it!
Breathing deeply and slowly is the quickest & easiest way to bring your mind back from spiralling thoughts. But there are endless possibilities for you to come up with fun, novel ways to deal with your anxiety. Try a few and see what works best for you when it comes to taming anxiety?
8 Fun Ways To Deal With Anxiety

- Put on some music and dance your blues away! Movement works wonders for soothing anxious minds even if you think you can’t dance. The idea is to just break the cycling thought patterns. Movement will allow you to drop down into your body cutting off the flow of anxious thoughts. It also releases feel good chemicals lifting your mood & outlook. Who knows, you might just have a laugh & enjoy yourself! And maybe find a solution to what’s bothering you!
- Do something that takes your full attention. Whether it’s doing a crossword puzzle, organising your wardrobe, or taking a long walking in nature. Anything that fully occupies your attention for a while will give your mind a break from whatever is bothering you. You may well find a solution to the issue once you stop worrying about it.
- Schedule worry time. Instead of worrying throughout the day, why not schedule some worry time? You can worry all you want for 30 minutes, but you can’t worry the other 23.5 hours of the day. Just knowing that you can worry later will ease your mind and allow you to accomplish more.
● How much time do you need to worry? Do you think that worrying for an hour would accomplish more than 30 minutes? Maybe 15 minutes is enough. Try setting a timer for 15 minutes and just write out what it bothering you, check in with yourself & see if that helps. If not, extend your worry time to suit you.
- Pretend you’re someone that handles stress and anxiety with ease. Pick someone you know or admire that exudes calm. Imagine being in their body.
● How would you feel being them even if it’s just for 10 minutes? What thoughts would you notice? How do you think they would view and approach the situation that’s causing you to feel anxious? Maybe you’ll discover something you can use whilst being your alter ego!
- Imagine yourself in a peaceful setting. What would be the most relaxing scenario for you? Would it be the mountains? The beach? A field of flowers? Who else would be there? What would they say? What would you smell and hear? What would the weather be like?
Experience it fully; pick up a handful of sand & slowly let it slip through your fingers if you’re on a beach. Or brush your fingertips along the tops of tall grasses if you are in a meadow. Hear all the sounds of nature around you. Make it real in your imagination. Writing about the experience in your journal will make your happy place easier to access the next time you want to visit.
- Go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Going to bed earlier will allow you to get more sleep. Getting up earlier will allow you to start your day with less rushing around and ease you into the day.
● Try going to bed an hour earlier and get up 15 minutes earlier. The extra 45 minutes of sleep will do your mind and body some good. The extra 15 minutes of the morning will make your morning more relaxing. You may find that the quiet time relaxes & centers you before the rest of your household wakes up!
- Spend time with a pet. It’s widely known that spending time with animals has a calming effect. Which is great if you have a pet, or if you can visit a friend or neighbour that has a pet.
- Go somewhere different. Go camping. Or just get out of town for a day somewhere you don’t usually go. Sleeping on the ground, or in a different bed, in new surroundings can do a lot to change your perspective and lift your mood. If you need a change of pace, give yourself one. A day can do wonders if you allow it to ease your mind & troubles.
● Where could you spend a day that would be a drastic change from your normal environment that you find uplifting and/or inspiring?
Anxiety can take all the joy out of life. When you’re worrying all of the time, it’s challenging to find any enjoyment. But trying something new might just put that shine back into your soul and give you a greater sense of inner peace.
Just as creating a feeling of anxiety is a skill, you can also develop the skill of calming yourself. Which anxiety-reducing idea will you try that might seem a little unusual? There’s no telling what will work for you until you try with an open mind. Consider keeping a journal to record what idea you tried & how well it worked taming your anxiety. I’d love to hear how you got on if you care to share! Just drop a comment below
Here’s to taming anxiety by seeking out newness & FUN!
Until the next time, take good care of yourself,
Tracey x
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