Managing New Year Anxieties
Practical measures that can be implemented to overcome the challenges associated with anxiety.
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The start of the January offers lots of new perspectives, for creating new goals and targets. Alongside, these possibilities for the New Year, a feeling of uncertainty can create distress. Anxiety manifests as a feeling of worry, nervousness and uncomfortably due to the uncertainty of outcomes. This can be based on previous experiences or results that left doubt inside. Anxiety is experienced by everybody at some point, and is a natural reaction to some situations. However, when anxiety is constantly causing overwhelming feelings it can affect your well-being.
The Signs
Anxiety has a variety of symptoms that can be noticed and can act as early warnings. For example this can be changes in your body and your behaviour. Such as, avoiding being in situations that trigger anxious responses. A kind of fight or flight mode, to either head on react or avoid completely.
Some Signs of Anxiety:
• Feeling a sense of dread
• Unable to concentrate or make decisions
• Having trouble sleeping
• Sick, dizzy, sweaty or short of breath
• Shaky or trembling
• Headaches or tummy aches
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Changes in heartbeat
• Pins and needles
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Practical Measures For Anxiety
- Shifting Perspectives
The practice of shifting personal perspectives is critical throughout life. This character aspect can change outcomes in real time, accepting your situation and adapting to find awareness to help ease pressure. Leading to more mindful actions with positive intentions. Breathing exercises are a great and popular example of supporting the process of awareness in the present moment. - Being Active in Understanding Your Anxiety
Keeping a journal or diary is a very useful method to know how you are feeling. Tracking your progress and accepting that not all days are equal. Becoming familiar with your triggers will help manage and understand what affects you. And allows action to be implemented. - Challenging Your Thoughts
Taking time to acknowledge your thoughts is a effective way to build internal trust. Self-help though addressing anxious thoughts by challenging the origin behind them. This will help you consider what you allow enter your mind, from a more objective perspective. A thought only has whatever power you grant, a fact in your head may need to be removed. As every thought is only one perspective, and challenging the perspective will change your thoughts. - Take Time To Breathe
Anxiety has different levels of tension, and at times is overwhelming. It can take over your day. To prevent the extreme distress that can be caused, creating specific time to 'breathe' each day will focus your concerns. A mental break to relax your mind and anxieties. - Confront Your Situation
We all find ways to avoid difficult situations, and by delaying action we create more mental strain and pressure. Leading to more anxiety by amplifying the situation for the worse. This routine shifts control by removing the power we possess by delaying rather than acting. Actions is how we maintain control, and remembering that overcoming anxious feelings will not cause you harm. It will restore your control of mind and inner peace.
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Reaching out and asking for help is the number one recommendation, talking about your anxieties will lift the weight of your mind. If you found this helpful please share with someone who may also benefit from reading this. Finally, some words that may help with personal perspectives.
"Half of life is lost charming others.
The other half is lost in going through anxieties caused by others.
Leave this play. You have played enough."
- Rumi
Further Reading:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961#
https://happiful.com/how-manage-new-year-anxiety/
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/treatment/
