These past couple of months have been tough for every single one of us. Our prolonged “spring break” hit us hard and I do not know about you, but I was very excited to get back to school. But unfortunately, it did not turn out how I wanted and now I am stuck at home doing online learning. Obviously, I do not have any right to complain knowing that my school made a good decision in order to protect the health of students and stuff, but once in a while I get very anxious and depressed because of the inability to go to class, see my classmates and friends, and enjoy everyday college life. Because of that, I decided to share with you a couple of tips that can help you get rid of bad thoughts and boost your mood.
- Filter your social media
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Social media can be very addicting nowadays, especially when we are spending most of the time at home. You go on Instagram to check the latest trends and notifications, snapchat friends back, and visit Twitter for the latest news. It is great to keep in touch with everything, but some news might have an effect on you. Your mind is unconsciously processing and remembering things, so something might be causing you stress and discomfort and you are not even aware of it. That is why it’s a good idea to filter some of the content on social media that is making you feel slightly uncomfortable. I am not saying to be completely ignorant and uninformed, but I want you just to be able to recognize it and try to fix it. We do not need extra stress and negativity coming from social media.
- Cut caffeine
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Coffee is a great energy booster, but when struggling with anxiety, it is not a good choice. When your mind is racing and you feel nervous, coffee can make the situation worse. When you are consuming caffeine, your body is releasing adrenaline and hormones associated with the anxiety. Higher doses of caffeine can also lead to rapid breathing and increased stress levels in one sitting. That is why you should be careful when consuming it.
If you are craving some coffee, try not to get yourself a venti iced coffee with plenty of caramel sauce. Instead, go with decaf coffee and tea, or try my favorite which is Grande Matcha Green Tea latte with almond milk. It satisfies my caffeine cravings and it is good for you.
- Walk barefoot on grass
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Yes, I am being completely real with you, walk barefoot! Whenever I feel anxious, I will go to my backyard and walk barefoot. I feel like all the bad energy is leaving my body through my toes and I am absorbing all the good vibes from the earth. Actually, so-called “Earthing” has many health benefits for you such as improving sleep, normalizing biological rhythm, lowering anxiety and stress, and a better immune system. Spending time in nature generally has a big influence on stress levels decreasing. The ground has a negative charge and human beings are full of positive charge, so when those two charges collide it creates electromagnetic waves that are very beneficial to us.
This is scientifically proven, so I don’t know what you are waiting for! Find a nearby park or a beach and walk! But make sure it is only on grass or sand. Don’t roam the streets barefoot, you won’t catch any good energy, only a couple of blisters.
- Read
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Try to find some good books that will occupy you. Reading quality material will reduce your stress levels, help you sleep longer and better, and believe it or not, raise the empathy you have for others. I like to read books because I can get my mind off things and also learn something new at the same time.
- Meditate
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I like to meditate when I am anxious because it really helps me find inner peace. You should make meditation your own routine and do it how you want to. You can sit or lay on the bed, do it in the water while you are taking a bath(my personal favorite-I feel like water is taking away all of my stress), or outside in the park…just make sure it’s a quiet place and you are comfortable. While you do it, you should imagine all the negativity leaving your body and all the beautiful, positive thoughts entering it. What I do is magine negativity and nervousness as black smoke coming out of my skin and pores, and butterflies and flowers surrounding me and sending this beautiful life into my body.
Don’t get stressed out if you are not able to focus; meditation is very complex, but practicing it a couple of minutes everyday can really make a change.
These are some of the tips that helped me put my anxiety under control. Try to accommodate them to yourself and don’t forget to do what suits you the best.