Many people only feel they are comfortable in their home environment more than anywhere else. Anxiety is one of those things that can affect us in any setting, and while you may feel comfortable at home if you ever experience anxiety when you are out in public, what are some of the things you can do? Here are 4 ways to manage your anxiety when you’re on the move:
A Metaphorical Comfort Blanket
Sometimes we can all benefit from having that sense of comfort between us in the world. A comfort blanket can help ground us and make us feel like we are at home. If we are anxious, we can start to ground ourselves with certain habits, for example, chewing gum and focusing on that sensation, or bringing a certain smell with us in perfume form. You could also have a healthy habit. Something like CBD tinctures that you can put into some water can make a big difference to how you feel in the moment. When we are anxious we lose touch with where we are, so having those anchors to keep us focused will make a big difference.
Repeating A Mantra
Regardless of whether you are into meditation or not, repeating a mantra in your head does a lot to take over any negative trains of thought. If you are walking along, a mantra that has a sense of rhythm like “I’m safe, I’m safe, I’m safe,” is a great way to help us feel connected. As the brain cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined if you start to give yourself the signals that you want, a mantra or affirmation is going to really help in the situation.
Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve
Your vagus nerve is a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is what keeps you calm. Therefore, stimulating your vagus nerve by breathing slowly through the belly and exhaling longer than inhaling can fight stress. Another tactic can be to move your eyes to 9 o’clock. Keeping your eyes focused at 9 o’clock and waiting for a swallow or a yawn is a very quick way to stimulate relaxation. Additionally, you can stimulate your vagus nerve through mindfulness, Omega-3s, probiotics and yoga.
Have A Plan
Anxiety can cause problems for a lot of people when they don’t know what they are doing. Feeling more in control can do a lot to prevent us from making any sudden decisions that stimulate anxiety and panic. If the day is mapped out for you, this can make a big difference but additionally, you can also make enough time so you don’t have to push yourself into that anxiety zone. If you worry about missing a deadline, whether it’s work-related or getting somewhere, making a plan of where you’re going and adding in contingency time will prevent that need to rush around.
Being on the move is something we all need to do, and as a result it’s hardly surprising that worry can creep in. Hopefully, some of these tricks will make a big difference in helping you to manage your anxiety.