Having anxiety and full-throttle anxiety attacks is no fun situation to find yourself in. I know this because, in the past, there was when I would find myself living with a sense of never-ending dread. I couldn’t relax no matter what I was doing or where I was at, and my own mortality was something that was difficult to come to terms with. I lived with perpetual tension, and my own happiness and my relationships with those around me suffered as a result. Unfortunately, a lot of people suffer from the same and even worse symptoms and usually live out the rest of their days suffering because they don’t know how to deal with it. I eventually learned over a long, long period of time how to combat my anxiety and eventually kick it’s ass out of my life for good. My own story for conquering anxiety doesn’t involve pills and medication, but instead, a lot of heart, dedication, and a shift in mindset. Here’s how I did it…
I woke up from a long sleep at some point during the afternoon (as was usual for me back then). I got out of my bed and heard people outside loudly listening to music and having a good time. Deciding in that moment that I finally deserved some fun too, I went outside and went swimming while enjoying the day. In that moment, I felt incredible. I wasn’t at all anxious, I wasn’t stressed, and most importantly, I was relaxed and smiling. I figured I was on to something, even something small. That day, after swimming, I made a commitment to myself to surf early in the morning. Surfing was my lifeblood, but through my bouts with anxiety, my surfing life was virtually non-existent, and therefore, my happiness suffered as well. I went surfing and I felt incredible. I was outside, enjoying myself, and then, I really knew I was onto something.
Step One: Play Outside
Fun activity has a massive impact on combating anxiety. Numerous studies show that fun exercise is also associated with reduced anxiety.
Because of surfing and my commitment to do it more often, I began going to sleep at regular hours so I could wake up early and go, thus, my sleep schedule was consistent and my quality of sleep went through the roof. I would wake up better rested and ready to go get the best of what the day had to offer. I soon realized after about a week of getting better sleep, I felt happier and the anxiousness was becoming less and less prevalent. I became obsessed with sleeping well because of how great I felt as a result. I learned that drinking a cup of water before bed helps you relax during sleep and gives you more rejuvenation in the morning. I learned to set my alarm across the room so that I was forced to get up to turn it off, and I learned the importance of planning a good breakfast in the morning so that I had something to look forward to in order to get my ass out of bed.
Step Two: Have a Regular Sleep Schedule
A full night’s sleep is one of the best remedies for battling your anxious nature. Not only this, but you’ll be far more productive throughout the day.
While studying the benefits of a good night’s sleep, I discovered that copious amounts of caffeine results often in huge panic attacks. This was altogether a revelation for me, as I would often consume coffee at a rate that was unreal, even for the most avid of coffee drinkers. I made a commitment to myself to cut down to two cups of coffee per day. After a few days, I noticed I still had the ol’ caffeine jitters and further cut back to one cup a day. That was the magic number for me. Others might not need to cut down so much while some might need to cut caffeine completely out of their diet to avoid that panicky sensation. This was massive for me in recovering.
Step Three: Cut the Caffeine
Cut down on anything with caffeine whether it be coffee, soda or energy drinks. Either stop completely or little by little to see where your jittery levels are.
To take a large amount of caffeine out of my diet was a huge step, and I further went into the direction of relaxation by finding myself learning about meditation. Most of us by now know what meditation is. Its basic terms—it is the art of emptying your mind of all thought and just being present in the moment. The result is an incredibly relaxed state that usually lasts throughout the day. I found myself more and more practicing at least 10 minutes of meditation two or three times a week, and the results, coupled with everything else I was changing about my life, were astounding.
Step Four: Meditate
Scientists are discovering that consistent meditation increases the amount of grey matter in the brain. This means less stress.
After doing all of this for about a month, my anxiety and even borderline depression completely went away and has never come back into my life. I realized that my anxious thoughts and feelings were a product of my own mind and that they had no bearing on my reality. Being on edge was my own doing… I had the medicine for it, within me the entire time. I just chose not to look hard enough. Today, I not only don’t suffer from this crippling problem, but I have a new passion for life that I never thought I would ever feel again. Grabbing life by the horns has been a direct product of these four simple steps I’ve listed above. I understand that these steps may not work for everyone, but I ask that you give them a try and see how they work for you.
Travis Barton
Life Coach
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