We're All Anxious Right Now: Here's How to Navigate It

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1:11It's important to remember that it is totally normal that we're feeling this way. A lot of us are feeling it and a lot of it has to do with uncertainty. We're in uncharted territory. That plus a loss of control. I like to wake up in the morning and know my next five steps. And I think that's true for a lot of people, but we don't know what's gonna happen next. A lot of the times when we're anxious, we're gonna make decisions based on fear and that's gonna lead to bad or rational choices. So even though it's okay to be anxious, we do need to find ways to manage it and get a grasp on it. Here's how.

1:47First, don't deny how you're feeling. It's better to just talk about it. You can even write it down. This morning I actually wrote a list of all my anxieties I'm feeling right now. Putting words to it is not going to make it worse, it's not going to exacerbate it. It's actually going to make you feel better to name your emotions and give you some control over how you're feeling. Secondly, and this is the big one, you're going to want to slow down. A lot of us are, you know, checking the news or social media obsessively for updates on the coronavirus. Oh no, come here, don't look, don't look. We're loading up on so much toilet paper that, you know, I mean, my partner and I have stored it in our sunroom.

2:36So it's just like, we're doing all these things because it makes us feel in control. But in reality, that's our anxiety kind of running the show and pushing us to act before we've really thought our actions through. It's easy enough to say you should slow down, but how do you actually do it? There is one way that works and it is mindfulness. So what does that actually mean? It's pretty simple. It just means to be present and in the moment instead of thinking about the past or the future. So you can do this in a number of ways. The first is to refocus your thoughts and feelings. One thing that I do and that's been effective is pull out your phone and scroll through pictures of your loved ones or your pets.

3:22Aww. Be present, thinking, loving, kind thoughts about the people or animals in your life that you care about. Another way to do this is to anchor your awareness in an external object. So you can look out the window at a tree and just stare at the tree for 10 seconds. I know it sounds weird, but you'll be amazed how much just focusing your energy on something outside of yourself can anchor you in the present moment. Another strategy, and you've probably heard this one a lot, is deep breathing. When you're nervous, you generally take shallow breaths and you're not getting as much oxygen in your lungs.

3:59Deep breathing not only calms you down, but you're getting more oxygen, which, you know, it's kind of like a double win. take a deep breath and notice how it feels to have your lungs full of air and how it feels to have your lungs empty of air and just be aware of your body

4:23just to be clear these are non-medical tips for how to manage some of the general anxiety that we're all feeling right now but if you find your anxiety starts to manifest in ways that worry you or in ways that are interfering with your daily life, it's probably best to seek the help of a medical professional. So there you go. Hopefully some of those strategies will help you slow down and gain some control over your anxiety. And also just remember that everyone's dealing with this situation differently. So just have patience and compassion for the people in your lives.

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