Anxiety & Stress: How To Manage and Live Your Best Life

I’m not going to lie when I say that this month has definitely been really weird for me. I have a morning routine where I get up early, make my breakfast, change into some comfy clothes and get ready for class. For the past several weeks I’ve found myself waking up 10 minutes before my classes and doing work in bed or making breakfast a while after I’ve already woken up and having lazy mornings. This is 100% normal and everyday doesn’t have to be perfect or have to make you stick by a routine in order to be productive and feel good. Everyone deserves to listen to their body and take day by day slowly and at your own pace.

Recently I’ve found myself lying awake at night very late and having trouble falling asleep because my mind wanders off to so many different thoughts and it leaves me worrying about the future, being stressed about things that are completely irrelevant to my life at the moment, and questioning a lot of things. It’s super strange but I have noticed that this started to become an issue when COVID was first introduced into my life. I always had my morning routine for school, then my mom would drop my siblings off at school, I’d go home, eat, do work, shower and head to bed. That was my life for the last several years and now I’m a freshman in college.

I realized I can’t be the only one who is facing these issues so I’ve been watching hours worth of Youtube videos about how to sleep better, worry less, fix my anxiety, and just overall live my best life. I compiled many tips that have helped me in the past and how you can use them too if you’re in the same boat as I am. Stay until the end to view journal prompts for anxiety, coping skills, and more visual tips from Pinterest.

Go On A Walk

There is nothing that I love more than walking or just being outside in nature. This is one of the many reasons why I love summer and can’t wait to move somewhere warmer when I’m older because feeling the wind, listening to music, or just the bustling of everything happening outside can be so relaxing and sometimes even ground you to be more aware of everything else going on in the world. We can get so caught up with life, work, and school that we don’t take time to ourselves and just listen to our bodies or enjoy nature and Earth.

Going for 30 minute walks early in the morning can be a great start to your day because you can clear your head, can listen to a podcast, put on a good playlist to make you feel positive, or have a audiobook going in the background. Walks may seem pointless to some people but they really allow you to free your mind for a little and just be with nature.

Less Coffee, More Tea and Water

I’m a huge huge huge coffee lover. I go to Dunkin Donuts at least 3 times a week which is terrible but I’ve noticed this has become a huge problem and may be the reason as to why I find myself having trouble going to sleep or just living my life. Caffeine can be a huge reason as to why you may feel or be so anxious but some people need this in order to start their day so what do you do? I would recommend starting off my cutting it off a little day by day and decreasing the amount your drinking. Try having coffee on Mondays and Fridays, or Sunday mornings.

I also started drinking chamomile tea before I got to sleep because it helps with reducing menstrual pain, treats cold symptoms, helps with sleep and relaxation, helps calm and reduce anxiety, and can even treat insomnia. It also relaxes your muscles and reduces irritability. (According to Huffpost.com and Medicalnewstoday.com) I’ve never been a tea drink up until recently because I had it last year when I lost my voice and it did help a little bit. But when I looked up the benefits, I realized I wanted to make myself like it again and I’m now obsessed! It definitely helps when it comes to my sleep and allows me to be more relaxed before I get into bed.

Less Social Media & Screen Time

I established a rule for myself a couple weeks ago when I noticed that my anxiety got worst before bed and it’s to be on social media less and not as much screen time. Of course I have my nights where I do like to be on TikTok or retweet some things on Twitter but I usually FaceTime someone before I go to sleep and just turn my click phone off to talk to them so I’m not scrolling through my phone. When I talk to someone before I sleep, it makes me focus more on the person and our conversation rather than looking at a TikTok to make me wonder something about myself or that I could be doing better. What you do before you go to sleep plays a huge part in how you’re going to be in the morning.

Being on social media less is just something that will benefit you. Although I do consider myself a content creator for social media, it’s still important that you take breaks and get off your phone for several hours. I have a routine for myself to get work done for certain times and have my phone on do not disturb during this. It helps so much more than you think. Or while you’re doing work, listen to a motivation podcast or find a Youtube who is all about self-care and getting your life together.

One of my favorite Youtubers for this is Hailey Gamba. All of her videos are based on how to deal with toxic friendships, manifesting boss girl friends, transition from girl to woman, 9 things to do before 10 am that change your mental well being, becoming a selfish and unbothered person plus much more. Her videos have changed my life and mindset which I absolutely love.

Religion and Faith

This topic can be a bit different for everyone but for the past several months, I have taken my religion and faith much more seriously than I ever have in my entire life. I ordered a bible last year to dedicate time at night and in the morning to reading. I also ordered a Women’s 52 Week Prayer Journal which gives me a verse every week to read and reflect on and I absolutely love it. A couple weeks ago I also got a journal to start putting verses in, reflecting on how I can use it in my own life, learning more about the Bible, and God. It has helped me so much in the way I see and view my own life plus everyone else around me.

I still do have tons of anxiety about my life and what happens to use after we leave Earth, where do our souls go, and many more questions but practicing faith again much more seriously now that I’m older has played a tremendous role in helping me ease my stress and anxiety. I’ve also always felt as if something was missing in my life and this has filled it! For some, this may not help with their own lives which is also totally fine!

Everyone has different views and beliefs but if you are looking to get more into your faith, start off slow, find people on social media who may help you get into practicing religion more, and you will see a huge difference and shift with your life.

Exercise and Meditation

Recently I started exercising and also bought a yoga mat to start meditating to focus on more feelings of my body, and less thoughts or emotions. Some may not like meditation because I used to not be able to focus either on one thought and found myself wandering but practice makes perfect (almost) and overtime you will find yourself actually enjoying it. Some people need meditation or 10 minutes of relaxation to start their day. Even just stretching on your mat and getting your body out of it’s natural habitat from your bed can be a great mood booster too!

Exercise is also great for getting your mind off of things or situations you may be going through. This isn’t a way to get away from your problems or something that is bothering you, but it can help clear your thoughts. I love watching motivating Youtube videos, Podcasts, or TedTalks while I workout because it makes me push harder and work towards a goal that I want. I don’t like listening to music because it doesn’t help me focus but instead listening to someone talk about how they achieved their goals and how you can do it is the best thing I have done!

Listen To Your Body

This is the most important tip I can give you because your body is telling you certain things and you may be choosing to ignore it. So how can you listen or see what your body wants? If you’re finding yourself extremely tired in the morning, break down your night before. Did you have caffeine, were you up late on social media, did you eat something heavy, did you sleep very late? So many factors can go into this so break down the previous night and see what you can do the following night to try to sleep better before resorting to a night gummy, or something to help with sleep such as an over the counter medicine.

If you find yourself question a lot of things in life such as your own self-worth and doubting your abilities, write down or think about everything you have achieve whether they’re big or not. It doesn’t matter because the fact that you were able to accomplish something is amazing itself. Even if it’s reading a book a month, or getting work done for the day. Be proud of yourself and don’t be so hard on what you do. Be grateful, recognize your strengths and what makes you YOU! We are all born on this Earth completely different from each other and there’s so much beauty in that. Imagine how boring life would be if we were all clones of each other…

Journal Prompts, Coping Skills, and More Tips To Deal with Stress and Anxiety

Pinterest Emotional Health Resources

Feeling sad from time to time is a normal part of life. Pinterest works with experts to create exercises that may help improve your mood, which you can do at your own pace whenever you need support.These exercises aren’t a replacement for professional care. If you need medical care or are struggling with your mental health, please consult a doctor or therapist.

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