Let’s talk anxiety! I mean, y’all this week has been a challenge for me as a business owner. We have made some software changes, and let me tell you, this former nurse does not always understand the IT side of things. I don’t like not understanding how something works or not being able to fix an error. This makes me feel anxious and frustrated and leads to a spiral of other concerns regarding the success of my business (which let’s be clear, are not true).

For me, anxiety shows up in the form of heart racing and feels like a huge weight is on my shoulders. Anxiety is something that I have struggled with since college. I currently go to therapy, and I take medication for generalized anxiety. Both of these help me manage my anxiety on a daily basis, but there are days that it still consumes me. Today is one of those days. Today, I want to crawl in bed, snuggle with my pup, and cry. This is just reality. Even the thought of having to write a blog post today stressed me out. Mainly because I hadn’t planned a topic, and I was staring at this blank screen waiting for a topic to hit me, which just caused more anxiety.

So, instead of pretending that everything is all right, I decided to just write about my feelings. Writing down my thoughts always makes me feel better, but not only that, I thought maybe this will remind you, too, that anxiety is normal and we all handle it in different ways. As I am writing this post, I can feel the weight lifting, and I can take a deep breath again. When my anxiety tries to consume me, there are a few tried and true things I can do to relax. Here are 5 tips that help me when my anxiety starts to spiral:

1. Write: This can be in a journal, notebook, on the computer or in a blog post like I am currently doing (which by the way is a first for me!). I usually write in a notebook that can be shut and put away in a dark drawer. So this is a whole new level of vulnerability for me.
2. Meditate: I never used to meditate or even understood the benefits. I only started this last year, but it clears my head space and grounds me. I usually only do a 5 minute meditation, but even that is enough to release some of the stress/anxiety and refocus my mind. There is a bunch of mediation apps you can download (some are even free!) that will guide you through a short meditation exercise.
3. Music: I am instantly happy when some of my favorite songs come on. I mean, can you really hear Summer by Calvin Harris and not smile? I have a playlist of all my fave songs, and when I need a pick me up it is waiting and ready. My playlist has everything from country to early 2000s rap to Miley Cyrus. So, make a playlist that lifts your spirits and boosts your mood when you are feeling down!
4. Change scenery: I like to physically get up and change my location. If I have been in my office, I like to go outside and get some fresh air. I need sunshine in my life, and I intentionally live places (hello ATX!) where it is usually sunny, because when it is gray and gloomy it affects my mood. So, what kind of scenery makes you happy?
5. Have fun: I am a total workaholic if I allow myself to be, so I have to plan downtime. Today, I am going to a pool party with friends. At first, I felt guilty and I was worried about all the things I needed to get done, but now I realize it is a blessing in disguise because I need to walk away and let myself do something besides work! Plan downtime in advance, because, if you wait until you are stressed, you likely won’t take that time to decompress.

There you have it. I hope this gives you some tips to help manage stress/anxiety in the future. I’d love to hear what works for you! Drop some tips you have in the comments below!