We’re all prone to feelings of depression and anxiety every now and again. And while life coaching may be a good tool to help deal with it and push forward on a daily basis, what it definitely isn’t, is about receiving life changing advice in one intervention that’ll keep you from experiencing life’s downs permanently. If that happened, none of us would grow from challenges of experiencing life. Now, of course I acknowledge that people who are considered un-coachable – dealing with serious bouts of clinical depression and extreme levels of anxiety – would need professional help, but for those of us that seek out support to hack feelings of depression and anxiety that you can start acting on immediately, try adding these tactics to your everyday routine:
Commit to short daily walks
Sometimes all you need to do when dealing with mild depression and anxiety is to shake it off by going out and getting some air. While having a regular exercise routine like jogging or running is important for mental health, taking regular walks without having to be concerned over your heart rate or kilometers run can be soothing for your mind.
If you’re like me and own dogs, take them out with you on walks around the neighborhood and take in the scenery, the fresh air, and the smell of the outdoors. Hopefully, they’re all plesant ones! If you don’t own pets, try scheduling a 20 minute walk to work or to a meeting into your calendar just to remind you to step out a bit and try to look for a route with lots of trees, so you can breathe in their clean oxygen and arrive in a calmer, happier mood.
Counter negative self talk with positive ones
Negative thoughts are just a part of life, but they don’t let them consume you. Instead of trying to ignore those thoughts altogether, try countering them with positive statements. For example, if you’re feeling anxious and regretful about procrastinating about a pending project, follow that with a reminder that you really needed some extra rest and alone time this week. You can get back out there tomorrow.
Make a list of “your people”
Find your Cristina Yangs to your Meredith Grey and build that list of people who you feel you can trust and are willing to support you, maybe even give you some tough loving when you need it the most. The nest time you find yourself struggling with depression or anxiety, check that list and reach out to someone and work your way down if someone in your support group isn’t free to talk.
When you’re stuck in a negative thought spiral, write down two good things
It’s hard to think of anything else when you’re really upset or frazzled, so this exercise is mostly about hitting pause and broadening your focus. Take a break from your frustrations by thinking of two or three positive things in your life in this moment – something that brings you joy, something you’re proud of, and someone who loves you. Cultivating that “attitude of gratitude” when you’re feeling particularly low is a great practice to keep you grounded and focused on the better things in life.
Have a self-care arsenal
Everyone has certain things or coping mechanisms that give them a boost when they’re feeling crappy, and you might not even realize what yours are. Maybe it’s taking a bath, burrowing yourself in a book with a hot cup of tea, watching that hilarious YouTube clip, whatever. Just make sure whatever it is, it’s accessible when you really need it. If you’re still drawing a blank, here are 10 self-care ideas you should try yourself.
Ask yourself “and then what?” when you’re stuck on an anxious thought
Mulling over something that’s making you anxious isn’t going to achieve anything. But you can help push your thought process forward by forcing yourself to think ahead in order to help elucidate thoughts that are reasonable, probable, or sometimes even rational.
For example, if you keep worrying that you’re going to lose your job, ask yourself what would happen if that were the case. That might seem terrifying at first (you’d be strapped for money, you could lose your apartment, it could impact your relationship, etc.) but then follow those thoughts – what would happen next? Maybe you would look for a new job, find a cheaper apartment, take out a loan. Eventually your thoughts should come around to reasonable solutions to your biggest worries. You might even realize that these scenarios – while certainly anxiety-inducing – are highly unlikely to come to pass.
Create your bedtime ritual
Quality sleep is a crucial part of your mental health and staying resilient, but it can be especially hard to come by when you’re struggling with anxious or depressed thoughts. So do everything you can to try to quiet your thoughts before you get into bed, since it’s unlikely you’re going to solve anything overnight. Create winding down activities like taking a hot shower, having a wind down beauty routine, journaling, or reading for an hour.