Dealing with anxiety is harder than it looks in our digital/connected world.

There are medications for some and then there are frustrations from trying to tame a fast-moving world.

I have found these anxiety fighters just as effective as medication and none of them require a co-pay:

1. At the first sign that anxiety is building, take ten deep breaths slowly breathing in for five seconds, holding it for five seconds and then gently letting it out for five seconds.  This works.  And you can do it longer if you like.
2. Remember this number – 99.9%.  That’s the percentage of times what we’re worried about that is making us anxious will never happen.  Focus on 99.9%.
3. The 0.1% when what we fear does happen, it rarely occurs exactly the way we feared it would happen.  Tuck this away in your head when fear and worry makes you anxious.
4. Key tool to keep handy:  IOUs for the many times in life when you have faced up to anxiety and succeeded.  Thinking, “I’ve done it before and I can do it again” can be preventative.
5. We have options to walk away from anxiety without telling anyone why.  It is our right to exit tense situations because we are being kind to ourselves.
6. When the same people tend to increase your anxiety, cut down or cut out the time you spend with them.
7. Fear of loss is normal and healthy.  In the end we all have to say goodbye to the ones we love and have to give up the things we’ve attained in life.  Another key thought:  loss is followed by something else gained.