In celebration of her fortieth birthday, last month author Sarah Bessey shared forty important things she’s learned in her life. One thing she said that struck me was this: “Being a responsible adult is the most underrated form of self-care.” Then she went on to explain by listing all the “boring” tasks of adulting like going to bed at a decent time, exercising, keeping a budget, etc.
Sometimes, the greatest thing we can do for ourselves is to live a more disciplined and routine life. To commit to practices that don’t necessarily bring us the most joy, but in the big picture, free us up to live the most joyful life. When it comes to managing and even staying a few steps head of my anxiety, I have found this to be true.
Today I want to share with you some seemingly unrelated things I do that enable me to live a more peaceful and joyful life. But before I do, let me explain that these aren’t things I do as often as I go out for Starbucks—say three or four times a month. They are however, things I do as much as I drink coffee (I mostly make my coffee at home). In other words, they are things I need to do multiple times a week or even daily, for me to be my best self and for me to even notice how much of a difference they make.
If we want to live lives that are not controlled by anxiety, we have to do our part. For some of us this may mean counseling, and even medication. But for all of us, our anxiety is a wake up call to take better care of ourselves. In this vein, here are five “boring” things I do to ward off anxiety:
Prayer and Journaling
As I shared Monday, this is a big one for me. At least three to four times a week, I sit down with my journal and I list five things I am grateful for (did you know gratitude wards off anxiety?). Then, I unload all that I am worried about before God, whether through prayer or journaling. Prayer can be an anywhere/anytime type of thing, but I find when I am able to actually set aside time at least three or four times a week, I am much calmer and at ease. If prayer isn’t for you, journaling or even meditation may be a good starting point.
Eating Healthy
As I have shared before, doing Whole30 changed the way I eat in so many ways. But one of the things I noticed was that by cutting out most carbs and processed sugar, I felt less anxious. Add in switching to decaf (which was so hard), and the volume of the anxious hum I used to experience daily was brought down considerably. The way we eat affects the way we feel. Find out if anything in your diet is affecting you negatively, then do your best to limit how often you eat it.
Exercise
When we move our body, it releases endorphins which makes us feel good. Exercising also helps us physically burn off our daily life stressors. When I workout for even twenty minutes a day (I stream these videos), or take a twenty minute walk four to five times a week, I feel better emotionally, and I sleep better.
Sleep
I know this one isn’t so fun. Especially when the new season of our favorite show releases on Netflix, and we just have to watch one more episode. But it’s not possible to go into our daily life confident and without anxiety, if we aren’t fully rested. By being disciplined to get ready for bed at nine-thirty every night (lights out by ten), I have more energy now in the time of day that I need it most. Yes, I’ve had to change my overall schedule, but I feel a greater sense of wellbeing. You won’t believe how much of a difference getting enough sleep will make in your life until you do it consistently.
Unplugging from Social Media
This one is rather new for me. But recently, I have stopped looking at social media first thing in the morning. Instead I don’t even look at it until closer to lunch time. When I wake up, I do a little bit of reading or have a real conversation with my husband. I can’t exactly explain why, but my mindset is so much better going into my day.
What routines or habits do you find help with your anxiety?
What ones do you need to try?
Are you in the midst of making a hard decision? Contemplating a big life change? If so, you may be interested in my FREE Making Changes Checklist that I give to all my email friends. Want your free copy? subscribe here.
