The day to day pressures of life can be very difficult, especially those of you with anxiety. I’m here to help you with a few tips that can help manage your anxiety and not let it rule you. The first thing is your mentality. I know anxiety can be an extremely painful thing to deal with, but you cannot just will anxiety to go away. The first thing you have to know is that the only way to manage anxiety is to accept that you have and and you learn to live with it.
There is a proverb of an old man who lives alone on a hill. One night, a robber breaks into the old man’s house and begins to steal his possessions. The old man sees the robber and instead of fearing the robber, he asks him, “why are you here?” The robber is frightened and tries to leave. But the old man invites him to sit with him and have a cup of tea. The robber tentatively sits down and shares a cup of tea with the old man. Soon after, the robber leaves, having not taken anything.
This proverb can be used as a metaphor for you anxiety. If you only want it to go away as soon as possible, then you are only suppressing the anxiety. However, when anxiety sneaks into your mind and you invite it in, it makes it easier to deal with and soon, it will go away. Easier said then done, I know, but it’s a good thing to practice.
The second thing I want to say is to not allow your mind to tell you there is something wrong with you. I promise, there is nothing wrong with you. The sooner you can understand that, the sooner you can accept that anxiety is a part of you and you can learn to accept that part of you, because every part of you deserves your acceptance, however difficult it may be.
The third tip I have is to breathe. It may seem like a silly or simple exercise, but if you are focusing on your breathing, your brain cannot spin out of control, because all of your concentration is directed toward your breaths. There are many different breathing techniques and meditation practices you can find online.
Another tip I would suggest is to allow yourself time in the day to do the things you love. These things can be anything from drinking your favourite kind of tea, to going on a walk through the park with your dog; whatever it may be, be sure to give yourself the time to be with yourself and simply be present. This always helps to ground me and give me a perspective on life, when the chaos feels like its too much.
Finally, you are not alone. There are many places on many different Campus’ that have counselling facilities that can help you manage your anxiety. Your friends and family can also help you. Do not be ashamed of your anxiety, but embrace it and move forward with the knowledge that you are strong and you can do it!
Go out there and be the best you you can be!