by The Lovely Refinement Team | Mar 29, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Happiness Tips, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
Are you starting to burn out from how overwhelmed you feel?
Life is a lot to handle even when you’re in the right mindset. And if you’re struggling to keep a positive outlook on life then being overwhelmed can be the tipping point.
Whether it’s from trying to get good grades in school, do a good job at work, or just having enough energy to get by every day. Being overwhelmed can lead to a lot of other feelings, like anxiety and depression.
You start to easily get down on yourself for not accomplishing enough and it feels like everything around you is crumbling apart. And yet you’re overworking yourself and barely have enough time to get a good night’s sleep.
Something’s gotta give, right?
The good news is it’s possible to live a hectic life without feeling totally and completely overwhelmed. It just takes some focus and determination on your part.
Finding what really matters to you and letting all the other crap go. If you’re trying to do a million things at once and only care about a quarter of those things, you’ll easily become burnt-out.
It will even make you hate doing the things you actually enjoy doing. So, let’s talk about some ways you can stop feeling so overwhelmed starting right now.
What to do When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed & Anxious
1. Identify What You Do And Don’t Care About
This is what I like to call filtering out your life. Filtering allows you to be more in tune with yourself because you only do the stuff you actually care about and let all the other crap go.
As you look around at your life think about the things you love and want to make time for. Maybe that’s your family, your job, hobbies you enjoy, or being around your pets.
This is different for everyone so it’s important to clear out all the noise around you and truly identify what YOU want. Not what anyone else wants.
Then, go through and identify all the things you’re making time for right now that you actually really don’t enjoy.
Maybe that’s going to the gym, being around people who are really negative, or going to college just to please your parents.
If you’re doing a lot of stuff you hate doing, you will burn out. And it’s partly from your inner spark going out.
You aren’t listening to your own wants and needs enough.
2. Get Organized
Once you figure out the things you really like to do, then figure out how to add more of that into your life.
You get to create the life you want and it’s entirely in your hands. You don’t have to keep doing things you don’t enjoy.
And getting organized helps clear up all the thoughts going on in your head.
Use a planner or a calendar to sort out how you will start adding these things into your life.
What I like to do is write down a big list of all the things I want to do or have more of, and then I plug those into my planner. That way each week I know what to focus on.
And it’s a reminder of what’s really important. It will help keep you in check of doing the things you want to do and stop doing the things you don’t want.
3. Make Time for Peace & Quiet
Life is a hectic crazy mess. And a lot of the time we can’t control what is thrown at us.
What you can control is how you react to it. And trust me, if you’re walking around like a volcano about to erupt, you will not be able to control it when you finally explode.
Overwhelm will make you feel like you’re going crazy if you allow it to. If you allow life to keep throwing shit at you, you will eventually explode on whatever innocent bystander happens to be in your way. Whether that’s your boyfriend or someone who cuts you off in rush hour traffic.
To avoid getting to this point make time for peace and quiet. Make it your intention to unwind every single day. If work makes you stressed out, take time out of your day to be alone in your thoughts.
Shut the door to your bedroom, put on some calming music, and put your phone in the other room. Shut out all of the noise from the world. Shut out of all of your responsibilities and the things you need to get done.
Make time for yourself and make this a priority every single day. It might not feel like it will do anything, but trust me it does.
4. Try Out EFT Tapping
I’m not that into “just think positive and your problems will go away”. Because I’ve tried it enough times to realize it only makes me feel worse instead of better.
So, as I recommend EFT tapping don’t think I believe it’s the end all be all solution. I do believe it is a very helpful tool and a different form of meditation.
I personally can’t just sit down and be with my own thoughts, what helps is doing EFT tapping. And how it works is you tap certain pressure points around your body while saying affirmations.
I’ve linked a video below to better explain how it works. This can help you relieve a lot of built-up tension and anxiety.
Coming from someone who overthinks way too much, this is a tool I love to use on a daily basis to realign myself and it works.
5. Limit Your Options
If you have an Instagram account you know how easy it is to get sucked into the alternative world.
The beautiful photos can make it seem enticing to have a big house, toned abs, or more followers.
And if you set those things are your ultimate goals in life, you’ll constantly be hustling for more.
Seeking more external resources to make you happy.
When you can start with what you have right now.
Try to work on making your life simpler, not more complicated.
With a simple mindset change, you won’t have to feel like you constantly have to hustle your butt off to get all of these things.
Start with the things that bring you fulfillment, that don’t cost money or require a lot of effort.
A simple hike up in the mountains can bring you way more happiness than materialistic things.
When you limit your options, you get rid of all the unnecessary stress you’re causing yourself.
7. Create an Action List
Start taking action today.
Instead of thinking you have to live in this constant state of mind, you can choose to take action.
Set aside time every day to focus on your to-do list.
Keep taking action every day. Make it a point to focus on the most important things that mean the most to you.
Focus on reducing the things that don’t provide a whole lot of value to you.
If you hate your job, figure out a way to put a plan into action to find something better.
Taking action is the best way to get out of your overwhelmed state of mind and move on to better things.
So if you are feeling overwhelmed, try to work on reducing the things that are causing you stress. Some things are out of our control, and that’s what I’m trying to learn myself.
Learning how to control what you can and let go of what you can’t is tough! If you can ask yourself ‘Is this out of my control?’ and accept the answer, then you’re on the right path to making improvements.
Moving Forward
As you choose to do more of the things you want and enjoy doing, you won’t feel so overwhelmed.
Learning to set boundaries and stop doing the things you hate will keep you more aligned with your values and goals.
It all starts with you and how you choose to live your life.
“
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Mar 17, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Finding Motivation, Happiness Tips, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
Having a Hobby When You’re Feeling Anxious Can Do Wonders For Your Mental Health – With Benefits Experienced Almost Instantly…
Ready for a full list of hobbies that reduce anxiety and make you feel better?
If you were to believe everything social media and Main Stream Media told you – becoming ‘distracted’ is something that should be frowned upon.
The truth is there are two types of distraction. There are those that are unhealthy for our minds. And then those that can reduce and even eliminate that shaky feeling of uncertainty and fear.
One super-effective way I have found to reduce my anxiety is by engaging in a wide range of hobbies.
Think about it this way…
We’re often told we should exercise our bodies – you know, in a physical way. But we don’t hear anywhere near as much about exercising our minds.
And when we engage in hobbies – both physically and mentally, we can create the perfect conditions to reduce our anxiety.
And the best part? This can all be done with very little effort. It’s a win-win.
Hobbies that reduce our anxiety can help us feel more connected, increase our ‘fun-factor’, and improve our mental health both in the short AND long term.
Make sure you try at least one of these things the next time you’re feeling really anxious. I promise they can help bring you to a much calmer state of mind – sometimes in a mere matter of minutes.
13+ Hobbies That Will Reduce Anxiety and Make You Feel Better
When you struggle with anxiety you want as many helpful tools in your toolbox as you can get. This is why I put together this list of hobbies to try that reduce anxiety and make you feel better!
1. Practicing Mindfulness
Becoming more mindful allows you to feel less anxious and more in control of your surroundings. Mindfulness helps reduce intrusive thoughts and overwhelming negative feelings towards your life.
This is something I personally love to do.
Every day I set aside just 5 minutes to practice being mindful and have done this for the last year. My anxiety and depression have reduced tremendously and I actually feel way more in control of the thoughts I have.
I always recommend it to anyone who’s really struggling with anxiety. For some tips on this, download my free Mindfulness Activities book.
2. Hanging Out With Animals
I have 6 geckos, 2 cats and 2 dogs. Needless to say, I find being around animals helps my anxiety a lot. If you don’t have your own animals, you can volunteer at your nearest animal shelter.
Or go to a reptile sanctuary and examine all the exotic animals. Animals are fun because they love to cuddle and don’t talk back.
Who knows, maybe it’s time for you to adopt a new furry creature into your life. It could benefit your mental health in ways you don’t even know.
3. Meditation
The idea of meditation sounds nice but it’s kinda hard to get into. Setting aside time daily to do it ends up being a chore.
But, if you want to give it a shot then set an alarm on your phone. Use one of these many popular meditation apps:
As you can tell meditation just starts with 5 minutes a day. Taking that time to be more present in your mind will help you instantly feel better.
I actually look forward to my daily meditation sessions now because they allow me to take a break from all the craziness and be at peace. Which leaves long-lasting effects on my mental wellbeing.
4. Taking a hike
Another benefit to owning a dog is having a companion to go on hikes with.
Being out in nature gives you many mindset benefits. We need exposure to the sun on a daily basis. And nature provides a calming effect that helps center you.
The next time you’re feeling anxious look up a nearby hiking spot. Take some time for yourself and be in nature for the afternoon. Guaranteed you’ll feel much better!
5. Writing in a Journal
If you aren’t ready for meditation yet, journaling is a great alternative. Take a step back from your busy life, cozy up on your couch with a journal, and let all your thoughts out.
This is a great form of self-care and a natural remedy for anxiety. If you can get in the habit of getting your thoughts out on paper, your mind will quiet down.
Expressing your thoughts in any form shines a light on your personal struggles. When there is light, there is very little room for negativity to survive.
That’s why writing can be so helpful in the healing process.
6. Blogging
Having a creative outlet like a blog can be a wonderful hobby to reduce anxiety. But it can also be a very lucrative career.
Chelsea from HerPaperRoute earns over $20,000 per month as a blogger and work-from-home mom, and she teaches others how to start money-making blogs via her online blog school.
The awesome thing is you can start a blog about anything that interests you, and then monetize it with any product and brand partnerships that you love. Chelsea teaches clever marketing strategies and simplifies the tech stuff, so you can confidently grow your blog into a career even as a total newbie.
Go and take her free blogging class for beginners to learn how to start your own blog in 10 minutes, and then enroll in Be Your Own Blog Boss to learn how to develop it into a stone-cold business.
7. People Watching
Whether you have social anxiety or not, people watching can be a very fun hobby. Think of a busy place, like a mall park, or library, where you can discretely people-watch.
It’s peaceful to see how other people go about living their lives. There is a lot of relatability in people-watching. As long as you remove any judgment you have of other people.
And if you do struggle with social anxiety, this helps you see how other people are just like you. Everyone else cares about what others think of them and they make mistakes, too.
People-watching can be a humbling experience and can help relieve anxiety.
8. Gardening
Imagine going to the Home Depot gardening center on a nice, spring afternoon. Picking out your favorite types of flowers and the sweet smell of grass and soil all around you.
Even if you don’t buy anything, hanging out in the gardening center can help with your anxiety.
But, no matter where you live, you can create your own little garden if you like. That might mean starting with one or two succulents that are easy to maintain.
9. Doing a Puzzle
Puzzles and board games are a great and healthy distraction from anxiety. They help you focus on other things for a couple of hours.
And in a way, they can be so freaking peaceful. Cozy even.
And the cool thing about puzzles is you can start and stop them at any time. They can take as much time as you want them to.
See the top-rated puzzles on Amazon.
10. Yoga
Anyone can get into yoga and it’s actually much better for you than a lot of exercises.
You can reap the benefits of a healthy body by doing yoga a few times a week. Not only will your mind be less anxious, but your body will also become stronger over time.
Here a few yoga exercises you can do in your own living room.
11. Acting Like a Kid Again
Sometimes you just gotta let go of the serious adult and let your inner child play.
Do things you loved to do as a kid. If you have kids or nieces/nephews, make a playdate to go to Jumpstreet. Or go play some laser tag. Even a bike ride around the block will increase your fun levels.
Make sure you are allowing enough fun into your life. This is something we tend to forget when we’re so engulfed in being adults.
And sometimes acting like a kid can be exactly what you need to relieve anxiety.
12. DIYing Your Own Sugar Scrubs
You can get essential oils on Amazon or at your nearest Whole Foods.
Find your favorite ones that help relax you and create some DIY sugar scrubs.
This can make you feel like a kid and aromatherapy will naturally reduce your anxious thoughts.
Win-win!
13. Creating Music Playlists or Listening To A Podcast
Most people have Spotify or Apple Music nowadays (and if you don’t, I highly recommend Spotify). Put your membership to good use and spend an afternoon creating a playlist of all your favorite songs.
The ones you loved as a kid. The ones you listened to during a break-up or tough time in your life. Put all of your feel-good songs into one playlist so you can listen to them whenever you need to.
Or, put on one of these inspirational mental health Podcasts.
14. Knitting
There are a lot of places that offer free knitting classes, like your local Recreation Center.
And there are also plenty of online tutorials that will teach you how to knit.
If that has been something you’ve wanted to try, now is the perfect time to do it! Use this as a doctor’s note for your anxiety. This is your excuse to learn how to knit and you’ll reap the rewards of a calmer mind.
Related: Knitting Basics: Getting Started
13+ Hobbies That Reduce Anxiety And Make You Feel Better – Conclusion
At the moment when you have anxiety, it doesn’t seem like anything will help. But, taking action and just doing one of these hobbies will help.
They might not completely rid you of anxiety but they will help distract you and make you feel better.
This is so helpful, especially if you don’t have immediate access to a close friend or therapist to talk to. You can even chat or text with an online therapist at any time right here.
Hobbies are a great way to self-soothe your anxiety and make you feel a whole lot better.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Mar 8, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
Brene Brown is one of my favorite authors in the world. Her books are powerful and relatable.
She works hard at getting deep into these issues that we don’t usually want to talk about. Things like vulnerability, shame, and guilt.
We always push these things away and yet she works hard at helping us face them. She often talks about putting yourself in the arena and getting knocked on your butt a few times.
And if you’re not in the arena getting your ass kicked, she has no interest in your opinion.
I believe Brene Brown can be the person that helps pull you out of a depressive state or anxiety attack through her books. Her relatability and own vulnerability feel like a fresh of breath air and help you to stop feeling so ashamed of yourself.
10 Amazing Inspirational Quotes From Brene Brown
Below I have put together a few of my favorite Brene Brown inspirational quotes:
Related: 13 Of The Best Books About Mental Health
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Mar 8, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Finding Motivation, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
When it comes to improving your mental health taking care of your mind and body go hand in hand.
You can’t neglect one and expect the other to thrive. That’s why exercising is so important to improve mental health.
It takes care of your body, which is something we often overlook when trying to reduce anxiety and depression.
We just want our minds to feel ok, not our bodies. And yet once you decide to take care of yourself as a whole, you will start to see a world of difference.
You feel in tune with yourself in multiple ways. And you’ll feel more confident about your life because you’ll feel more in control.
When you decide to put your mind and body first above anything else, you can then start to achieve the things you want out of life. Because we can’t get very far when our minds are in a negative spot, fighting our every move.
And in this post, I want to discuss 10 ways exercise can benefit you and how to get started.
1. Exercise reduces stress
Exercising is a great way to relieve stress because it takes that tension and uses it in a good way.
When you decide to go out on a run after a stressful day at work, it can help to let go of built-up feelings
Same with doing some yoga at home, this helps calm your mind down and quickly reduce stress.
2. Exercise helps with your memory
Research shows that exercise may increase the size of the hippocampus, which is a part of your brain that develops your learning and memory capabilities.
Because of this, it allows you to remember things better, focus more, and helps your brain cells continue to grow.
3. Exercise helps you cope in a healthy way
When we are anxious or depressed it’s very easy to turn to unhealthy coping like drinking alcohol.
Deciding to go out and exercise instead is a way to actively face what is bothering you.
Which is a very healthy way to cope. When you exercise, you use that anxious energy and turn it into a way to positively get it out of your body. And when exercise turns into a habit for when you’re stressed out, you develop the skills to cope in a very healthy way
4. Exercise gives you more energy
Even though the idea of working out today may make you want to hide under the covers, once you actually get out and do it you’ll have so much more energy.
It’s not easy getting started but try a workout for at least 20 minutes and see how you feel afterwards.
Initially, your body will feel tired because it’s getting warmed up. After a few minutes though your body will adjust, and you’ll start to feel your body getting energized from the movement.
Allowing you to have more energy throughout the day and feel more motivated.
5. Exercise improves your self-confidence
Not only do you feel good internally, but you start to feel good externally when you exercise.
As your body gets stronger and builds endurance, you become more confident in your abilities.
And you feel like you look better as well, which is true!
Exercise gives you this feeling that you matter because you want to take care of your body.
Which quickly increases your self-worth and confidence.
6. Exercise helps you get more stuff done
As mentioned before, exercise gives you more energy. And when you have more energy you naturally get more stuff done.
After a good workout at the gym or at your home, you’ll get a boost of energy that you’ll want to use toward other things.
Like getting a specific project done, cleaning up the house, or doing your favorite hobby.
7. When your body is happy, your mind is happy
You most likely know all the benefits exercise has on your body.
Like a stronger heart, stronger bones, healthier body weight, healthy lungs, etc
And when you start improving your body’s capabilities, your mind follows.
You feel better and have more energy, which helps reduce anxiety and depression.
As we get older, we have to pay more attention to taking care of our bodies or else it causes even more stress.
Exercise is a great way to ensure you’re taking proper care of yourself.
8. Exercise relaxes your overthinking mind
The cool part about exercise is it gives you energy for a few hours afterward, then your body winds down.
It gets tired, which is so good for people who struggle to fall asleep at night.
When I’m anxious, my mind goes in circles. Making it really difficult to get a normal night’s rest.
But, working out makes me too tired to overthink too much.
When I exercise, my sleep improves drastically. And it can do the same to you.
9. Exercise quickly improves your mood
When we feel anxious or stressed, sometimes we keep it boiling up inside. Which wreaks havoc on your body and mind.
Exercising allows you to get rid of all that negative energy and focus it on something actionable.
Which quickly relieves those bad thoughts and feelings.
Leaving you in a much better mood after you exercise. And you only have to do it for 30 minutes to see quick results.
10. Exercise builds resilience
As you exercise you push yourself to your limits.
Each rep you do when you’re lifting weights or each extra mile you run on the treadmill.
This is building resilience in your mind.
And you need that for your mental health. Your mind needs to be strong to fight off the negative thoughts.
Exercise helps train your mind to do that. When you run that extra mile, you know you can do it.
You teach your brain that you can make it through the painful moments because you’re strong enough.
What exercise is best for me?
So now that you know the benefits of exercise you might be wondering what type of exercise is best for you.
Everyone’s different so there’s no one size fits all.
Think about the type of exercise you hate doing. Maybe you hate to run or swim.
Don’t force yourself to do the stuff you hate just because you’ve heard it’s a good workout.
There are a lot of different ways to exercise. So if you’d prefer not to do intense cardio, opt for watching a yoga YouTube video at home.
Or if you want to build strength, look into a free 6-week training guide.
If you want some ideas on exercises, I always recommend the Nike Training App.
It’s completely free to use and has a lot of different workouts to choose from based on your personal preference.
How much exercise should I do?
The standard recommended amount of exercise is 30 minutes 5 times per week of moderate-intense activity.
Or vigorous activity for 25 minutes 3 days a week.
If you are struggling with your mental health though, I suggest taking it slow.
Start by exercising for 5 minutes a day for a week. Just so you get into the habit of setting aside time to work out.
Then work up from there. Each week increase your time by 5 minutes.
How do I get started when I feel unmotivated?
I think it’s important to set goals for yourself
Not just in how you want to look, but also in how you want to feel.
What do you want to get out of exercising? Do you want to reduce anxiety? Do you want to get yourself out of a rut?
Write down your main goals for exercising, and then find things that inspire you.
That could be fitness quotes on Pinterest or creating a fun playlist on Spotify.
Inspire yourself so that on the day you start working out, you want to do it.
Visualize where you want to be.
It all starts with your own mindset and changing that to start making improvements.
Set aside time daily to exercise (it helps if it’s consistently at the same time) and make it a priority.
You can even find an accountability partner who you can tell your goals.
They can help you reach those goals by pushing you when you don’t feel like pushing yourself.
Exercise is one of many great ways to improve your mental health.
Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons- to feel better.
Sometimes we use exercise as a way to torture ourselves and our bodies even more.
We deprive ourselves because we don’t love ourselves enough. And when you start to exercise, you have to view it in a way that is beneficial to your mental health.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Mar 7, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
Are you considering trying therapy but aren’t sure where to start? Or maybe you’re already seeing a therapist but don’t feel like you’re benefiting much from it.
Have you considered online therapy? With the Betterhelp app, you can chat or text with a certified therapist at any time day or night.
In this article we will discuss the benefits of online therapy, so you can make an informed decision.
7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Online Therapy
Going to therapy is an amazing thing, but it can also turn into a waste of money if you aren’t getting the results you want.
This comes down to a few things like:
- Not having the right therapist
- Not being consistent with going to sessions
- Not taking it seriously
- Not opening up about your struggles
Plus, more depending on your personal preference. This is when therapy gets a bad rap.
I’ve gone through this myself, with 3 different therapists. I tried each one for a few months, talked about my specific struggles, and didn’t feel any better.
One of my therapists almost fell asleep on me while I was talking! And I nearly lost faith in therapy after that because I thought it was a scam.
I learned that my experience with therapy wasn’t unique. A lot of people feel the same way. I wish it was as easy as calling up a therapist and setting up an appointment and your life changing instantly.
But, real life gets in the way sometimes and you will hit a few bumps in the road. The one thing that made the experience so much better was trying out online therapy using the platform Betterhelp.
That’s why I always recommend to anyone thinking about therapy to try out online therapy first.
It allows you to see what it’s all about, and it helps you find the therapist that is the right fit for you without wasting a bunch of money.
Here are some of the Surprising Benefits of Online Therapy
1. Online Therapy is Very Convenient
Online therapy allows you to do it in the comfort of your home.
Laying in bed with your PJs on, enjoying your coffee. Or if you travel often and don’t have a consistent schedule of being home every week to go to in-person therapy.
This is a great option for anyone really because it allows you to be connected to your therapist no matter where you are. Taking the inconvenience out of it and making it much more accessible.
2. There Are Many Therapist Options
When I used to go to in-person therapy, it really bummed me out when I realized my therapist wasn’t the right match for me.
It’s a hassle and challenging to find the perfect fit. And when your insurance only covers a portion of your visits, the price adds up.
With BetterHelp you can work with a therapist, but if you don’t truly “click”, you can request a new therapist. It’s very easy to do and BetterHelp provides a great conduit to bringing you to your perfect fit.
3. Online Therapy Allows You to be More Vulnerable
When you’re in the comfort of your own home, you may feel more comfortable opening up to someone about things. And when you talk over the phone, it allows you to open up as well.
Instead of sitting in a therapist waiting room anxiously waiting to get inside, you can stay right where you are. And when you feel comfortable you are more likely to be vulnerable and talk about what is actually bugging you.
Sometimes in therapy, we tend to leave out the important details and beat around the bush. Using online therapy may allow you to open up in ways you wouldn’t have done otherwise in an in-person therapy session.
4. Less Expensive than Traditional Therapy
Some insurance companies don’t cover therapy to start with. And even when they do, they require you to meet your deduction first which could be a couple of thousand dollars.
Traditional therapy without insurance is expensive, but online therapy is much more affordable.
With BetterHelp you can also choose how often you want to speak to a therapist and can be as low as $35 a week. Compared to seeing a traditional therapist that can charge $80 and up for one session.
5. Online Therapy Saves Time
With the way the world works now, we are all constantly fighting for more time. And the idea of driving to therapy after a long day at work, then driving home in traffic just might not seem worth it enough to you.
- Online therapy is available at any time and day of the week.
- And you never have to leave your home.
- Or if you’re already out and about throughout the day, you can sit in your car to talk to your therapist.
- Your therapy sessions are at the mercy of you and not the other way around.
6. Online Therapy is There When you Need it
Have you ever gone to a therapy session when you’re having a good day? Then find there’s nothing you want to talk about.
It feels kind of like a waste of time and money. With BetterHelp, you can set up a session with your therapist during the moments you actually need it.
When you’re feeling really anxious or depressed and just need someone to talk you through it. That way you can enjoy your good days and use your therapist on the days you actually need them.
7. Takes Away the Feelings of Shame Associated with Therapy
The idea of going to traditional therapy scares some people. It’s uncomfortable and weird. And it makes you feel like something is wrong with you.
Which prevents a lot of people from even going in the first place. If you’ve never been to therapy, trying online therapy first can help you get your feet wet.
You can communicate with your therapist through email, text, or on the phone. So if you aren’t sure about it at first, no one else has to know about it.
And you can even discuss with your therapist how you feel about therapy! Online therapists can give you the tools you need to start seeing a traditional therapist.
Or you can choose to just stick with online therapy.
7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Online Therapy – Conclusion
There are many benefits to using online therapy and I truly believe it can benefit anyone.
I use it and I know multiple people who use it. And we all feel the same way about it. When you’re struggling with your mental health one of the best things you can do is talk to someone about it.
You might think you are in control and have it all figured out. But, if you’re anxiety keeps coming back even when you think you made it go away, it might be time to talk to someone.
And online therapy is the least scary way to do that. If you’re thinking about giving online therapy a shot, I highly recommend BetterHelp.
It’s a good option for when you really need to talk to someone today. Or any time of the day. It works with your schedule, not the other way around.
Because you can’t decide when your anxiety attacks are going to hit and it’s so hard to set a regular schedule with a therapist.
We all have good days and bad days. And you need access to a therapist on your bad days. Which is why BetterHelp for online therapy can help you.
During your moments of crisis when you need it most, you can alleviate your anxiety/depression and keep living your life.
You can click here to check it out.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Feb 26, 2019 | Dealing With Emotions, Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem & Self-Love, Self-Improvement
When you’re in the midst of a panic attack it can seem as though nothing will help fix it.
Which gives you this sense of hopelessness. Treating anxiety isn’t always easy and sometimes it might feel completely impossible.
The good news is there are actually a lot of options out there for you to choose from.
What matters is choosing what works for you. For me personally, I enjoy venting to my sister and going out on long runs. Other people prefer to not talk about it and put that attention towards something else. Like a hobby or working out.
It all depends on what works best for you. Figuring that out might be a challenge at first.
That’s why in this post I compiled the best treatment options for you to choose from.
Read through this list and then decide which ones sound best to you.
Then, work on making a commitment to yourself. Choose one thing to focus on for the rest of the week and spend just 5 minutes a day working toward it.
I promise, when you make this commitment you will start to feel better mentally and more refreshed.
Opening Up to People You Trust
Talking it out is one of the best ways to expel anxiety.
Your mind builds up stories inside and once you decide to voice those stories into the world, they lose power.
Let people close to you know how you’re feeling. Even if you feel uncomfortable opening up to someone about it.
When you do talk to someone, you will feel much better just getting it out.
Click here to read more: Tips for Talking About Your Mental Health
Practicing Acceptance
Do you try to fight your anxiety? If you do this could be what is actually making your anxiety worse.
What you can try instead is learning how to accept it for what it is.
This means allowing your anxiety to come into your body, and then leave. Feel all the feels and then allow it to move out of your body.
The next time you feel anxious tell yourself “I am anxious but it’s OK. This will pass.”
Take 3 deep breaths and see how you feel after this.
The quicker you can accept your anxious thoughts the quicker they will disappear.
Being More Mindful
It sounds weird to be more mindful when you’re trying so hard to be mindless, right?
What being mindful means is being more present in the moment.
Focus on the things around you and let them ground you.
Because anxiety tries its best to get you to lose control and float away into an anxious cloud.
That’s when you want to ground yourself and pay attention to what is happening in the now.
What do you see, hear, and smell?
List 3 things you can focus on in this current moment.
Read more about grounding techniques here.
Loving Yourself
When you don’t give yourself enough compassion and love, you’ll gradually feel more and more anxious.
As you struggle with anxiety you’ll want to focus on loving yourself more.
You can do this by being more patient with yourself when you experience anxiety.
A lot of the time we feel shame and guilt associated with anxiety and mental health. We think we shouldn’t think these thoughts or feel these things.
But, loving yourself no matter what won’t make anxiety feel so terrible. You’ll be more accepting of yourself which allows you to be more accepting of anxiety.
Getting Rid of Toxins
This might be any number of things.
Do you work at a dead-end job that doesn’t serve you?
Are you friends with people who don’t support you?
Do you resort to eating junk food, drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes when you feel uncomfortable?
These things are comforting but very toxic to your body. And actually make anxiety worse in the long run.
Work on lessening the toxins in your life. Practice some more self-love and think about what is most important to you.
Try to let go of some of these things that just don’t make you feel good anymore. I promise your anxiety will lessen once this happens.
Going to Therapy
I believe therapy is a great option for anybody. No matter if you have anxiety or not.
It’s good because you learn more about yourself and why you might feel the way you do.
Therapy allows you to be in a safe environment with a supportive person who can help you work some of your anxious thoughts.
If you don’t want to physically go to therapy and are looking for something you can do from the comfort of your own home, I recommend using Betterhelp.
I personally use this platform and really enjoy it, especially since my schedule changes often. You can also spend time finding the right therapist for you, which is huge in your recovery process.
Click here to find the right therapist for you!
Possibly Medication
There’s a lot of controversy over using anti-depressants to help with your mental health.
It doesn’t work for everyone and some people even believe doctors give prescriptions for them out like vitamins.
Just so doctors can make more money.
On the other hand though I don’t think medication should be completely dismissed.
I personally take it for my anxiety and it has done wonders. Anti-depressants helped pull me out of my own rut and I want to mention them in case they could do the same for you.
I would recommend talking to your doctor about how you’ve been feeling and asking what they recommend. They usually put you on a small dose and go up from there depending on how you’re feeling.
Another note with medication is to be patient with it. The first type you try might not work. (Just like with birth control if you’re on that)
There is no one size fits all so you’ll want to experiment a little and don’t give up hope if it doesn’t work the first try around.
Following your Core Values
A lot of the times we get influenced by certain things.
Like what job to get, and what people to hang out with. Deep within you have your own core values.
If you sway too far from these values it can feel like you aren’t living true to yourself. And it’s easy to do this when society is telling you to do something different.
Living authentically and true to your core can help reduce anxiety. It’s not an easy fix though and requires effort.
But, it just starts by doing everything on this list and listening to yourself more often.
Stop ignoring your wants and needs. If you feel trapped or stuck often, then it’s most likely a sign you’re not living authentically.
Exercising
Exercise is so beneficial in so many ways. I believe this even on most days when I have zero motivation to get my butt off the couch.
It’s because when I do decide to walk my dogs or work out, I feel a lot better. Almost as if my mind cleared itself of all my overthinking.
What’s even better is your body gets tired afterward. And when you’re tired, you don’t have much energy to think.
(Although I always have the energy to overthink). Exercising is also a great form of self-care.
You might not want to do it and might even believe it won’t help you. But your body says otherwise.
Your body needs movement. It needs to be challenged and to burn off some energy.
If you hate doing intense exercises, why not try yoga or Pilates?
When you’re working out for your mental health it’s not about losing weight. It’s just about getting your mind to feel better, so try and take some of that pressure off.
Alright, that’s it for today. What is one thing you’re going to choose from this list to help treat your anxiety? Let me know in the comments!
