Disclaimer: Caring is cool, but beating yourself up over the opinions of another isn’t!

I once found myself living solely for the approval of others, keeping me from several potential adventures and opportunities. I was afraid of being judged or scrutinized for doing things my own way, resulting only in my dissatisfaction with life.

To tackle this, I decided to begin conquering my fears one by one, doing things that absolutely terrified me.

I went to an outdoor adventure park and chose the most extreme circuit to conquer my fear of heights. I started to wear whatever I wanted and doing things solo, taking myself out on dates and on countless trips.

These are now some of the most treasured memories I possess!

The lesson here is that you can absolutely do it all on your own and still make the most of life.

Here’s how you can manage your anxiety in 4 practical ways:

1. Remember: You’re not alone in your struggle, ever!
I have discovered that the more I open up, the more I see myself in others (and vice versa). The parts of me that taunt me, making me feel entirely alone in my experiences of anxiety, exist in others too.

Just upon remembering this fact, I am able to rapidly shift the way I feel. Whether it’s loneliness, insecurity, or even just a lack of drive, I learned that closing myself off to others is never the solution.

The point isn’t to enforce that we all struggle, but that we can all somewhat relate to each other’s experiences. So, open up and share both your frustrations and joys — connect!

Share your stories and care enough to ask others about theirs. You’ll be surprised at how quickly things shift and become insignificant once you finally let them out.

2. Switch up your setting and environment ASAP!
When irritability and apathy strike, get up and go for a walk to clear your head. This is definitely not just a myth, as it has always helped me out, even when I’m fighting the urge to calm down.

Getting busy wherever you already are would also be considerably effective; I like to clean even when it’s not necessary. Take up a hobby if you don’t already have one because nothing fills you up quite like the fulfillment that comes from creation!

Some music or silence and some time spent working will give you that little boost, enough to get you back on your feet. This will also distract your mind from feeding into your negativity.

If you’re in need of a more long-term change, spend your frustrated moments researching and planning, birthing solutions instead of overthinking.

You can have all that you want; you just need to filter and sort through all the possibilities. Your frustrations most definitely could be your inner being telling you to make a change.

3. Meditation: Conscious breathing and stillness
Obviously, I struggle to sit still when I’m irritated.

A brief calmness would take over me when I first began to meditate, but I would go back to my scrambled thoughts soon after. The whole thing seemed pointless.

However, with time, practice has definitely made perfect. I now rush to meditate whenever I feel slightly out of balance; there is true delight in simply being.

The power of meditation lies mostly in consistency, with the goal being to relax and clear out your mind. Think of it as cleaning your home; when dust collects, you sweep it away.

Don’t force thoughts or fight them, just allow them and observe. Try to get yourself in a state of calmness and neutrality; fight the urge to react emotionally to your thoughts.

You may very well begin to spiral again post-meditation, but, if you make this a regular habit, you’ll have an easy mental fix!

4. Nourish your body: Indulge, but mindfully!
When we’re hungry, we tend to act irrationally and let our emotions get the best of us. Stress-eating can be a solution, but a temporary one, as regret tends to follow soon after.

Eat your feelings away, but do so with a logical mind, choosing foods that nourish the body and provide you with energy. Go for the most balanced meal possible, engaging your mind and your senses as you savor every bite.

Don’t let it turn into a session of gouging food down mindlessly. You’ll likely feel worse.

A healthier and more nourishing meal may not be the most appealing or attractive option at first, but it will definitely ease you up in the hours to come.

Remember:
It’s ok to distract yourself when your mind is playing tricks on you. Often times, that is the most effective solution.

However, don’t overthink your bad days when you’re finally feeling better.
It’s fine, it happened. The past is gone so let it go.

You’re human, after all, it’s just part of the experience.

Embrace the anxiety so you can truly value peace. It always comes.