Anxiety affects everyone. For some people, it may be in specific moments where emotions and expectations are high, for others it can be a daily occurrence. Regardless of how little or how often we experience it, anxiety can affect every aspect of a person’s life. It can affect how you think and how you feel, and often times comes with physical symptoms.

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Everyone has different triggers for their anxiety, and learning to identify what they are for yourself can be just as important as coping and managing the feelings and experience of anxiety before it escalates. Honing in and taking the time to understand and identify why your anxieties transpire can allow you to tap into ways that can assist in decreasing or even eliminating the overwhelming effects that anxiety creates for you.

What if I told you that being stress-free starts and ends with yourself? That finding what resonates with what’s deep in the core of who you are could be the answers you need to be free of the anxieties and stresses you often experience?

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If you are ready and willing to spend the next 21 days consistently practicing and taking the time to deeply love yourself, you may be well on your way to managing, calming, and potentially preventing your anxieties and stress.

The key is to find joy and comfort in these activities, as they can prove to be helpful tools for when your stressors flare up.

21 Days To Anxiety Free

Week 1:

Tip: The first seven days of your journey to anxiety free sets the tone for the rest of your 21-day journey.

Start With Making A Daily Mantra – What’s your why? What fuels YOU? What are your passions? Whatever it is for you, your mantra should be used daily to remind you of your purpose, what brings you happiness, and grounds you.

Meditate –  Meditation, when done daily or several times a week, can hold immense healing properties for those who experience stress and anxiety. It brings clarity and allows you to be present within yourself. Meditation can look many different ways. Maybe you prefer to meditate in silence, to music, or just in a space that you can focus solely on your thoughts, your body, and honor stillness and self-love.

Practice Deep Breathing – While this can be practiced within your daily meditation, practicing deep breathing can be done in almost any environment. Breathe in and out slowly, holding in your breath for a few seconds after each inhale. Try doing this for five to ten minutes. This can be especially helpful in moments when anxiety kicks in.

Journal – During the next 21 days, write for release and brain dumping. I find that when I write, I am able to get thoughts out of my head instead of retaining ALL the information. Instead, I can revisit my journal entries when needed. But often times, it just feels like a satisfying moment of release to write. Things I never even knew I was feeling or thinking tend to come up and on to paper. Putting your thoughts onto paper can be extremely cathartic and stress relieving. If you are unsure what to write about, start with things you are grateful for and why.

Create A Goal To Achieve During The Next 21 Days – Whether your goal is to lose weight, read that book you’ve been looking at on your shelf, or connect with family and friends, map out clear goals that you are excited to achieve, as well as goals that are responsibly attainable within your 21 day journey.

Week 2:

Get Organized – Begin to form a detailed schedule of your days ahead to alleviate last-minute stressors. While every minute of your day does not need to be planned out, scheduling major events, appointments, or things you know you have obligated yourself to can be helpful so you can carve out much needed time for yourself and the things that bring you joy.

Evaluate Your Priorities – What are the things that spark joy for you? What are the things that move you forward and are healthy for you? These are the things that should be your priorities.

Color – Coloring is not just for kids anymore! It has been scientifically proven to calm nerves for adults and children alike. Coloring allows you to be present and focus on what is happening right in front of you.

Stay Hydrated – Believe it or not, sometimes our anxiety and stress can be simply because we are not taking care of our bodies in the way that is wanted and needed. Simply staying hydrated can relieve you of feeling sluggish, tired, unmotivated, or irritable. This is important to do daily – so drink up! Drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily will help you stay properly hydrated.

Week 3:

Take A Social Media Break – Taking a break from social media could be the best detox that you didn’t even know you wanted or needed. Set a time, a day, or even a week to turn off your phone, or put it down! Constant attachment to checking social media platforms or incessantly checking your phone can alleviate stressors you never even realized were attached to our digital devices.

Sauna, Or Hot Bath With Essential Oils – This is a great way to love on yourself, creating a space of relaxation and de-stressing. A detox bath is a comforting way to cleanse your body of toxins and relax. Adding some of your favorite essential oils can really amp up your bath experience.

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Get Outside – A change of scenery, as well as some fresh air, can truly ease your nerves. Taking time to take in your surroundings is always a good way to release feelings of angst and stress.

Connect With People – Be sure to take time to connect with people. Maybe a friend you have been meaning to connect with, or someone who you still have yet to return their call. Connection with people who bring joy, love, and purpose into our lives can be relieving all on its own. It’s important when you are taking time to de-stress and release anxiety to not disconnect from others. It’s all about the people we choose to surround ourselves with.

Conclusion

For some, doing these things may seem small and like they will not impact your anxieties and stresses, but the key is consistency. To stay consistent with the relationship you are creating with yourself, while honoring your space each day, and whatever comes up for you. Over time, understanding – and more-so, experiencing – that relief can be found during moments of anxiety can help guide and assess what the underlying causes of your anxiety stem from. So let’s push your worries aside. Enjoy taking this challenge and seeing how your nerves will ease in the next 21 days, and beyond!

 

*Article originally appeared at Healthy Holistic Living.