Whitney Johnson

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Some Practical Tips for Anxiety

Many clients I see for counseling experience anxiety in their daily lives. In previous posts here, here and here, I've talked about ways to work with your thoughts and the impact that has on decreasing the feelings of anxiety. Another great way to manage anxiety and decrease the feelings is to visualize things going well (not perfectly, but well). If you are worried about a speech you have to give or a test you have to take, picture yourself giving the talk or taking the test and doing well! If all we are feeding our minds are negative visuals - visuals of us doing poorly in the feared situation, then our anxiety increases and feeds on those negative visuals, typically creating even more. But if we can begin to see ourselves getting through the feared situation and doing well, we have something positive to focus our thoughts upon and often this will decrease anxiety. Think of a time in the past when you did something similar to what you are fearing and things worked out OK. Remembering successes can be another helpful way of battling anxiety. It's also wise to watch our words. The things we say out loud have powerful impact on our thoughts and feelings. If all we are spouting out of our mouths is negativity and fear, then that's all we'll feel. If we are saying kind, positive, hopeful things aloud about ourselves and the fearful object/situation, then we will find ourselves feeling more reassured and optimistic. If using some of these practical tips does not help to decrease your anxiety, counseling can be a great resource for you!