Take Back Your Peace Of Mind When Anxiety Gets the Best of You!

When you feel anxious, does it seem as though it takes control of your mind and life? It can be frustrating to feel overcome with anxiety. It can intrude into your thoughts and cause havoc with your day-to-day activities. However, there are ways to steal back your peace of mind, and to not let anxiety take control.

Create a Daily Routine for Peace of Mind

We are creatures of habit, by having a daily routine you can create structure in your life. A set schedule and routine also means that you can have some predictability as well.  Some ideas to accomplish this include:

• Wake up at the same time each day, and avoid sleeping in.
• Eat meals at similar times every day.
• Build exercise into your routine.
• Read a book or journal instead of watching TV before bed nightly.
• Go to sleep at a reasonable hour.

In addition, for weekly activities such as food shopping or other errands, enter them into an online calendar, such as the one offered by Google. Try to stay consistent regarding which days you do these activities.

Have Personal Time for Peace of Mind

With all the demands that we have in our lives such as work, school, children, etc., we often forget to make time for ourselves. Just taking thirty minutes out of our day to relax, we can steal back some of our peace of mind from anxiety. For instance:

• Practice a meditation routine.
• Read a book to unwind.
• Journal, create art, or make music.
• Complete a woodworking project.
• Tend a garden.
• Sit outside with your coffee or tea.

By making some time for ourselves, we are able to recharge our battery, so that we are better able to take on the challenges that life brings on.

Consider Lifestyle Changes for Peace of Mind

Take a hard look at your lifestyle choices and try these ways to create peace of mind and relieve anxiety:

• Exercise! Doing moderate physical exercise can help to release endorphins, which can have an effect on mood and the brain. Also, exercising can help prevent health problems like heart disease.

• Stop exercising so much! Wait…really? Yes! Exercise has been shown to help work out anxiety, but recent research shows that a short run, or more vigorous exercise followed by mindful based practices such as yoga is best for people with anxiety.

• Make social connections through friendships, work, and organizations. It is important for us to have relationships with other people.

• Get outside. Nature can have a calming effect and relieve stress.

• Assess your diet. Believe it or not your food choices may be having a negative effect on your anxiety.

Get Help to Find Peace of Mind

If anxiety has such a tight grip on your life that it makes it difficult to function, get help.  See a therapist who can provide guidance on how to best beat your anxiety. This could be through techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Exposure Therapy. These methods can help you better understand why you feel anxious, and help you face what causes your anxiety.

Other Ideas to Find Peace of Mind

Still wondering what to do to find peace of mind?  Consider some of these ideas from the website Tinybuddha.com:

• Stretch your muscles.
• Bike or walk in places that are scenic or appealing.
• Be aware of when you are judging yourself.
• Have compassion for others.
• Taking deep breaths.
• Be aware of negative thoughts and don’t dwell on them.
• Give back to others through volunteering and service work.
• Practice meditation on your own, as part of a class, or through videos available online.

Peace of mind doesn’t have to be pipe dream. Through a combination of adjusting your daily routine, creating structure, and taking care of yourself, you can steal back your peace of mind and not let anxiety rule your life.