Get used to listening to silence. So many of us go through a noisy world daily that we don't consider how much pollution we consume.
After being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in 2020, I had to quickly learn coping mechanisms to help keep my anxiety at bay. I used strategies I learned from professionals, which have helped tremendously in keeping my anxiety level low. But a recent trip to the doctor and some new medication with some unwanted side effects left me filled with anxiety. My heart was racing, and my fight-or-flight response misfiring all day long made me overwhelmed. I was afraid this would be my new normal because, suddenly, my old coping mechanisms no longer worked. I had to find other ways to make sure I didn't trigger my anxiety.
While coloring and taking a walk help me in the short term, the constant anxiety I've been waking up from is forcing me to find other ways to achieve peace. This meant a significant change in my lifestyle. I couldn't keep approaching new situations with dread, and I couldn't heap many unwanted, unrealistic expectations on myself. I had to determine how much I could handle in terms of limitations each day. However, I did find that once I took steps to change my worldview and my lifestyle, my anxiety lessened.
Here's how I learned to control my anxiety and restore peace:
Don’t Get Angry at Predictable Circumstances
One of my primary triggers of anxiety is getting angry at people who do the same predictable thing. Because I know it's coming, it's almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. I predict the behavior will occur, and then when it does, I am angry because people around me don't stop it. However, I've had to learn to stop getting angry at a person's behavior. If a person isn't willing to change, and I know the person that they are, chances are they will repeat negative behavior patterns. Therefore, the extra stress and energy I was using to control the situation was never really helping me at all. It was just adding to my stress and doing damage to my physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
I've had to learn to stop getting angry at predictable behavior. In the past, I would want to correct that behavior to prevent it from negatively affecting me. However, I can do that by putting boundaries in place. Recognizing the steps I can take to stop someone else's negative behavior from affecting me has helped me achieve more peace. Although it is easier said than done, and I'm a work in progress, I've learned to set good boundaries and stick with them.
Deep Breathing
I've had to learn deep breathing techniques to help curb my anxiety if it's affecting my daily life. I take a cold washcloth and place it over my eyes. I get into a dark room, and I listen to the sound of my breathing for sixty minutes. When I’m focusing on my breathing, allowing my lungs to fill entirely, and exhale completely, it helps take my mind off my troubles. Even if it's just temporary, this does help to lower my cortisol levels naturally. When I'm done, I feel more at peace and don't feel nervous in my gut.
Although this cannot be done right away, especially in public or a work situation, you can use this technique in the morning, evening, or on a day off. Take 60 minutes and get yourself into the darkest room possible. Close the shades. Turn off your cell phone. Unplug from screens. Get used to listening to silence. So many of us go through a noisy world daily that we don't consider how much pollution we consume. Our bodies need time to rest from taking in and processing audio stimulation. By sitting in silence and closing your eyes, you allow your body to reduce stimulation.
Trade My Will for God’s
Surrender is a concept I work at continually; I've had to learn to stop trying to control every situation in my life. Control is my default reaction when things are not going my way. When faced with a problem I am having difficulty controlling, I ask myself, “How much control do I really have over the situation?”. I deceive myself when I think I have control over many situations in my life because the reality is people will do what they're going to do. With this truth in mind, it's best to simply allow God's will to take control of my life.
By trading in my will for God's will, I must allow situations to play out according to his purpose. Because people have their own will, God allows them to make their own choices. Even if a person makes a choice I would not make for them, I must allow them to fail and make mistakes, trusting that God is still guiding their journey.
Additionally, I must learn to surrender my will to God. I have learned to express my concerns to him and allow God to do whatever his will allows. I stopped getting angry when things didn't go my way, and I have tried to learn that the way things are going is in my best interest. It's not easy to surrender control of my life, especially after going through many trials. But if I truly follow the Lord, I will follow him both in the highs and lows of my life.
Rearrange My Schedule
Reducing my stress level required me to rearrange my schedule. Part of my stress comes from working long hours. I've had to learn to get more organized, get ahead on work, and make sure things are ready before deadlines so I have plenty of time for other projects. This takes some creativity and organization, but because I've done this, I've noticed I have more time throughout my week to relax and have fun.
Although some seasons of my life have allowed me to take vacations and others have not, I had to learn to take time off and rest regardless of whether I have ample time to go somewhere special to recharge. I'm called to rest and must be obedient to that calling. But it can be more complex than we realize. The constant ding of a cell phone, answering emails, or working late at night can all be extra stress my body does not need.
Because I am good with organization, I don't usually wait until the last minute on projects. However, because some projects take longer than others, some have more immediate deadlines, and others don't, I've had to learn to rearrange things and pace myself. I feel overwhelmed when I am under many deadlines and have a lot of work. That's part of what triggers my anxiety, which means I must learn to take breaks, take time off if necessary, and consistently pace my work days.
Life is stressful. I will always be faced with the challenge of lessening my anxiety. But through rearranging my schedule, taking ample breaks, deep breathing, surrendering my will, and not getting angry over predictable circumstances, I can learn to have more peace in my life and lessen the amount of anxiety that takes a toll on my heart and body.
Photo Credit: ©Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas/Pexels
