Place one hand on your upper chest and one on your stomach. Take a breath, let your stomach swell forward as you breathe in, and fall back gently as you breathe out. Get a steady rhythm, taking the same depth of breath each time. The hand on your chest should have little or no movement.
When you’re anxious or stressed, your breathing can become quick and shallow, which reduces the amount of oxygen going to your organs. Learning how to breathe deeply can help reduce some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety.
Put aside some time each day to discover which relaxation techniques work for you. They can be active (going for a walk or swim, doing a puzzle, learning yoga, play sports) or passive (having a bath, reading a book, sitting in the park, listening to music, meditating).
Many forms of relaxation, like walking or sitting quietly, are very simple, easy to do and cost nothing. Others, like yoga or meditation, require some training or discipline. Going fishing or playing sports can be a great way of relaxing too.
It’s easy to forget to make time for yourself when things get stressful, so make sure you don’t get so pre-occupied that days can go by without you doing anything for yourself.
Problems are a normal part of life, and we usually feel better when we do something to resolve them rather than just dwell on them. If you can’t solve the problem, change the way you think about it. You can practice acceptance and move on with life in a positive way.
One way to deal with situations you can’t change is to practice acceptance. This means accepting the way things are without insisting that they should be different, and deciding to get on with life in spite of the situation.
You can’t change your height, your age, most of your physical features, or what has happened in the past. But, you can change the way you deal with how you see yourself, and situations, in the future.
When you’re faced with a difficult situation, ask “What’s the best thing I can do to resolve this problem?” Work through the options one step at a time. Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation that you can’t change, no matter how much you would like things to be different.
Coping strategies might include: challenging your negative self-talk; talking to people who can support you; relaxing and reflecting; and distracting yourself from the problem by getting involved in other enjoyable activities.