Fear and worry are a part of life these days. It’s normal to fear the unknown, but there comes a time when this fear of the unknown may take over your brain. It’s essential to take the reigns, so these anxious thoughts don’t take over your life. We have ten techniques from psychiatrists to help you stop feeling so worried.
10 Ways to Stop Feeling Worried in Five Minutes or Less
1. Live In The Present
One of the best things to do to rid of scary thoughts is to practice mindfulness. When we dwell in the past or fear the future, we forget to live in the moment. The present is gone. It’s not difficult to sit in the present. You have to be mindful of all that is around you at the time.
Pick an object and think about it. Focus on everything going on at that very moment. You must choose not to focus on the negative aspects of life. This habit keeps you living in the present and focusing on the positive aspects of that moment.
2. Recognize What You Can’t Control
If you’re worried, it’s crucial to figure out what you can’t control. It’s easier said than done. Most of us want to control everything in life. The reality is that we cannot control anything but our emotions.
We can control specific actions, but we cannot control the things that just happen in life. Nor can we control others or the weather or the spinning of the planets. The world is going to keep spinning even if we worry about it. The weather is going to do whatever it wants, even if we stare at the clouds. We can take charge of our goals and our actions.
Being worried about these other things will only lead to frustration. You can stare at the rain all day, but it isn’t going to stop raining for you. We have to let go of the guilt and stress we feel about trying to control everything, or it will just eat away at our own emotions.
3. Get Out in The Sunshine
One way to control our actions and feelings is to get outside. Breathe in the fresh air, let the sun hit your shoulders, and take a walk in Mother Nature. See the beauty around you, so you aren’t beaten down by the darkness.
Being indoors is okay for a while, but it can make you feel as if the world is caving in. Vitamin D levels are quickly boosted by the sunshine, meaning you feel better with natural vitamins. Go on a family hike or bike ride to get your mind off of your fears for a bit. Focus on the birds, the flowers, and the green grass. Get your eyes off of the negatives you observe, like the dirt, and the wind.
Instead, let your eyes focus on only the good things outside. If it’s a rainy day, slip on some rain boots and go for a splash. Just because the sun isn’t shining doesn’t mean life has to be dreary.
5. Write It Out
The mind has a great way of recycling scary thoughts. Get these thoughts out by writing them down. A journal is a beautiful way to get your fears on paper. You’ll find peace in having those bouncing thoughts out of your head. You might even be able to make sense of the concern and the things you are worried about.
There are no rules when it comes to writing things down in your journal. Your fears are right there on paper, so you don’t have to have them anymore. You don’t need to dwell on something that is out of your mind.
Add encouragement and write down positive things as well. You’ll notice a quick turnaround in your thinking. Journals are a way many psychiatrists tell patients to get thoughts out. It helps you process as you read what you’ve written as well as get the ideas out of your bouncing mind.
6. Unplug
If you’re feeling the burn of bad news, get off social media and news feeds. Scrolling through these things will only bring you higher levels of stress. You have to remove yourself from the scary news. When you’re consistently plugged in, you’re just feeding the scary thoughts. You only see the terrible things.
Remove yourself, so you’re able to live in the moment. Of course, your social media and news feeds are ways also to connect you to others, which can be a slippery slope. Try to create a healthy balance, so you receive information, but don’t dwell in the bad news. Turn off the television if you feel overwhelmed with scary things at times.
It’s important not to get worried about the things you see and read. Turn it all off if you start to feel overwhelmed.
7. Challenge Your Thoughts
You don’t have to live in a world of anxious thoughts. It’s important to challenge these thoughts. They might not be as bad as you make them out to be. If you’re always jumping to the scariest outcome, think it out. You can probably handle the real result. It probably won’t be as bad as you think.
Don’t overanalyze or overthink!
Stop yourself from thinking the worst. Don’t focus on only the adverse outcomes. Remember, you are not a fortune-teller. You cannot make anything happen in the future, so there’s no reason to dwell on it. When you get overly worried, challenge all of these thoughts with rational outcomes. Yes, the worst might happen. What’s the odds it will?
8. Meditate or Pray
Stop yourself when you overanalyze by meditating or praying. This helps by focusing your attention elsewhere from the things you are worried about. If you’re stuck in the past or the future, meditating or praying helps ground you in the present.
Be engaged by sitting in the silence. Choose a quiet, comfy place where you’re free from distractions. Get away from the world to just be with your thoughts. Focus on the positivity of these thoughts. You’re able to think through the tough things when the world isn’t biting at your toes. You’re ready to live in this exact moment in your own quiet space.
If you have a higher power, talk to them. Faith is something that helps many people pull through the toughest times. Believing that a higher power is in control of the tough stuff will keep the pressure off of you. No matter if you meditate or pray to a higher power, getting the fear out of your mind will help put your mind and body at ease.
9. Accept Anxiety As Part Of Life
Anxious thoughts don’t have to cripple you if you realize they are a part of life. By embracing these thoughts, you’re better able to control them. Don’t let them control you. Sometimes healthy stress leads to positive outcomes. You just cannot let it take over your entire life.
Accept that sometimes your tough things will be things you can deal with. You will have to deal with tough situations in life. You just need the weapons to deal with them. Remember that you can work to control your emotions. You can work to figure out how you’re going to fix things if and when they go wrong. It’s all about the mind accepting that fears are a part of life.
Even if you fear nothing, bad things will happen. It’s how you react to these bad things that count. Don’t overwhelm yourself by always fearing these things in life. Once you accept these thoughts, you can move on, knowing you can handle anything in life.
10. Talk About Why You Feel Worried
When you’re worried, talk it out. It might sound too simple, but it’s essential to get things in the open. Talk to someone that listens and understands without judgment.
When you start to spiral out of control, call someone that helps. Because when you keep all of your worries to yourself, they become the things that take over your mind. Sometimes another person can help you see a different perspective. Your fears may not even be that bad when you throw them out there. Building a support system is imperative to the human mind. You need to connect to grow.
You can seek a professional’s opinion as well. A counselor can assess whether you are worried in a typical way or if you have a type of anxiety disorder. Then, they can help you view things from an unbiased opinion. Everyone is going to worry, and everyone might deal in a different way than you. Talk it out, and you’ll feel a hundred times better.
Final Thoughts on Trying These Techniques to Stop Feeling Worried
Overall, it’s best to remember that being worried is a normal part of life. You don’t need to let them control you. Work each day to see the positive aspects of that day. The bad things in life don’t have to seem so bad once you learn to deal with them. In the end, not everything is as wrong as it looks. You can handle your worries and fears.
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