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Living With an Anxious Mind

My Tips for Staying Positive When It Seems Impossible

By Emily PPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Decisions, decisions. That's all I've ever had to make since my high school days. What subjects do you want to take? Where do you want to go to university? What job are you going to get? Are you not going to start thinking about an internship? Or a career? Or a house? Or a boyfriend?

There are so many pressures in today's society. Too many.

If living with anxiety has taught me anything, it's that I always want to know what will happen next. It means I can prepare for it with slightly less of a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Even if my mind runs wild with the worst case scenario and who or what will be there.

The simple fact of it is - you are never going to know. Over several years, I have suffered with anxiety, that at times has been bordering depression. I've tried cognitive behavioural therapy, counseling and I've seen GP's for sleeping pills and beta blockers. But I'm on an emotional roller coaster that I'm not getting off anytime soon. It's not a choice that I make, because if I could, I'd choose to be happy 24/7 but it's not as simple as just 'cheering up.' So after trying (and failing) at many different types of coping with my anxiety, I found that I am responsible for my own positivity. You'll have good days and bad but in the meantime, here's some top tips that have worked for me, to keep your mind happy and healthy:

1. Reassure yourself that it's okay not to be okay.

As trivial as it sounds, you need to remind yourself of this daily. Remember all those pressures I wrote about in the first paragraph? You can't let them bother you. It's hard enough to deal with the pressure that comes from inside your own head, let alone the pressure from other people and the wider world.

2. Go for walks and appreciate what you see.

I know that some days getting out of bed seems unbearable, let alone going for a walk, but don't underestimate the impact it could have! It will help you collect your thoughts and clear your mind. Learn to appreciate the little things like the way the sun sets behind the buildings or the colours of the leaves in the trees, the way that a body of water moves or how happy that dog in the park looks.

3. Find a hobby.

I'm not saying become a pro at oil paintings overnight or start learning Ancient Greek... unless of course you want to! Hobbies don't have to cost and arm and a leg nor do they have to take tons of time or energy to put a smile on your face. I have recently discovered a love for taking photos, a few of which are in this article (all taken on my iPhone!) I've also taken up going to the gym because for me, the exercise doesn't just burn calories, it burns negativity.

4. Be grateful.

If you have a roof over your head, food to eat and clothes to wear, you are already richer than 75 percent of the world. Think about the good in your life and cherish it, be slow to anger and appreciate what people bring to your life.

5. Do not succumb to the pressures of social media.

No one has a life that is as perfectly airbrushed as their pictures on Instagram - so don't stress it. It can be hard seeing perfectly filtered bodies, exotic holidays, night out pictures and happy couple selfies but more often than not this isn't the reality. Everyone has their own battles and that needs to be respected, but it is usually only the good stuff that gets put on those Instagram profiles, so don't be fooled.

6. Make a to-do list (and stick to it!)

Again, this might sound trivial, but I feel at my most comfortable when I'm organised and in control. So try putting pen to paper and write out everything you need to do, include even the little things so you feel a sense of achievement when it's complete.

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