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1.     Take a calming breath.  Breathe in slowly, be aware of your breathing, hold for a second, then slowly breathe out.  Think about this calm breath while you are doing it. For instructions on this, see Simple Steps to Relaxation, or for more specific instructions,Simple Short Breathing Meditation.

2.     To increase your sense of calm, focus on right here, right now. This means that you need to focus attention and concentration of what you see, what you hear, and what sensations are in your body.  Also notice what is going on in your environment.  For example, if you are upset because you cannot find a key, recognize that right now you are safe, you are ok.

3.     Get grounded: use Body awareness.  For example, notice how your feet feel as they touch the floor, feel your arms on the arms of the chair, or notice how they feel in your lap.  It is a good idea to keep some reminders of the earth close to you when you are anxious or worried.  For example holding a small rock can be very helpful in reminding you that you are on the earth, that you are in a specific place.  What you are fearing is not happening right now.

4.    When you are anxious and upset, calm yourself by becoming an observer of your self.  Notice your sensations, your feelings.  What thoughts are going through your mind?  What does your fear feel like?  This may seem strange, but it is calming when you are frightened or angry or worried to  watch your fear, or anger, or anxiety.  Becoming an observer of your experience helps you step out of that experience.

5.     Let thoughts come, let them go. Thoughts are just that, they are thoughts.  You will calm down when you realize that thoughts are not reality. This is important, so I will say it again.  Your thoughts are only thoughts, they are not reality. What you are afraid of may not happen and in any case is not happening now.  Mindfulness Meditation is helpful in this.

6.    Let feelings, emotions, come, let them go. This includes accepting our feelings, but recognizing that the feelings change over time, and like thoughts,  they are allowed to have their time, and then they can move on. Again, M indfulness Meditation is helpful in this.

7.     Have a calm place.  Most of us have a favorite place where we can go mentally when we want to go there.  If you have a memory that is calming from earlier in your life, use that memory.  If not, make one up, create a place in your mind that would be calming for you. See Meditation Using Imagery. Many people choose beach scenes for relaxation.  Others choose clouds, a favorite room in their home, or mountain scenes.  You can choose any scene, real or made up, where you feel relaxed, peaceful and safe.

8.    Focus on relaxing your muscles, perhaps tighten them then relax them.  See Simple Steps to Relaxation, or for something more elaborate, Progressive Muscle Relaxation.

9.   Move: stretching, walking, running, to help calm down.

10.  Write.  Grab a piece of paper, and pen or pencil.  Or your laptop, or other keyboard.  Write for a period of perhaps 10 minutes.  This writing can be stream of consciousness.  Just write whatever comes to your mind, no matter how emotional, or horrific.  It doesn’t matter.  The only rule is to write without stopping.  It is OK to write “I don’t know what to write” over and over until your thoughts and feelings come out.  It does not have to be grammatical or even coherent.  Just write.  This has helped many people calm down, get their feelings out, and start to address the problem that they are having.  One important rule:  This is not writing for anybody else.  It is just for you.  If you are concerned that someone else will see it you can destroy it.

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1.  Start Small
Quite possibly the biggest mistake people make is pushing the accelerator too soon. You can’t lose 20 pounds in a week. But you can lose one. Taking small bites and chewing slowly have as much to do with goal achievement as they do with your mom’s dinner table scolding.
2.  Get It On Paper
Whether setting your first goals, tracking daily progress, or sharing your deepest thoughts with a journal, writing things down crystallizes your ideas, exposes underlying fears, and paints an accurate picture of real life.
3.  Focus On Everyday Habits
The building blocks of a healthy lifestyle are forged in the smallest of actions you take every day and every week. Healthy choices can become as natural as brushing your teeth or locking the front door. Build one habit, one action at a time.

4.  Always See Your Goal
Goals need attention. They need to be seen and heard and thought of often if they ever hope to come true. So surround yourself with as many reminders as possible.
5.  Be Consistent
Imagine a plane taking off. In the beginning, a lot of energy is spent to simply get moving down the runway. But as speed and momentum take over, the plane is pulled forward and up into the sky, faster and further by the second. Consistent action, no matter how small, has more power than you ever imagined.
6.  Never Stop Learning
A healthy lifestyle is a process—a journey more than a destination. You can always learn more about nutrition, fitness, and even yourself that can help you be just a little bit better tomorrow.
7.  Come Out of Seclusion
Has anyone ever achieved anything of real value all alone? Probably not many. Most receive some form of help from other people. Support, information, a sense of shared experience, encouragement, advice, and a well-timed pep talk are all invaluable as you set off on your adventure.
8.  Allow For Setbacks
Accept the fact right now that you will make mistakes, and that it can be a positive thing. We are usually harder on ourselves that we are on anyone else we know. Be your own #1 fan. That means being supportive (instead of critical) when you stumble, and enjoying your wins (rather than ignoring your accomplishments) when you succeed.
9.  Trust Your Plan
You’ll have up weeks and down weeks, and frustrating weeks that make no sense at all. The tools and strategies you’re learning will help you build a plan that makes a healthier lifestyle almost inevitable. If you consistently make the right choices and build healthy habits, weight loss is literally just a matter of time.
10.  Have Fun!!!
Who says getting healthy has to be a chore, a burden to be endured or suffered through? Probably a very unhappy person, that’s who. This is an exciting adventure of self-discovery and building a meaningful life. Enjoy the ride!

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1. Stop over thinking.Over thinking is mostly negative.Watchyour thoughts.Identify your irrational or negative thoughts.  When you catch yourself over thinking,stop! Tell yourself this method isn't solving anything. Answer the question, "What would help me more is ________________.

2. Reboot.  When you feel anxious your worried go for a quick walk, a fast run, or a wild bike ride.  When you get involved in physical activity, it's like rebooting your inner computer. The endorphins that are released in your body, improve your mental and psychological health. They also help diminish stress and depression.

3. Deep breathing.

When you feel anxious, you can learn to relax by practicing deep breathing. Learn to take deep breathes from your abdomen instead of your chest. Breathe in slowly for four counts, hold your breath for four counts and release your breath for four counts.  As you do, carbon dioxide is released and your heart rate slows down. Practice this regularly. Make it a habit.

4. Stop betting on the negative.

Catch yourself thinking about worse case scenarios. Change your thoughts  by calculating the best positive outcomes. Make expecting the best a habit. Ask yourself, "What is the outcome I want to happen in this situation?”  Put your faith in it.

5. Downtime with nature.

Spend at least five minutes a day outdoors regardless of the weather.  Sit on a park bench, take the furthest parking space, or walk to the store or library. As little as five minutes spent outdoors, daily, can be a quick mood changer.Become aware.Pay attention to a single blade of grass, a cloud in the sky, or a flowering breaking through the concrete. if you haven't been outside today, go now! Breathe. Smile. Enjoy.

6. Reach out and connect.

Reach out to someone you can trust, someone who cares, someone who will listen to you. "In the flesh" connection is the best. Nothing can replace touch, eye contact, a kiss, a hug, or a pat on the back. We tend to over exaggerate or catastrophize what is happening in our lives. A friend or family member can help us change our perspective.

7. Caffeine in moderation.

Coffee and energy drinks have become popular over the past several years. Decrease stimulants that trigger the flight or fight condition in your body. Energy drinks, coffee, teas, and sodas can set off anxiety and panic. Cut way back or slowly eliminate them.

8. Physically relax.

A massage, a hot bath, a nap, soft music, or a book of poetry can help you relax your body. Figure out what works for you and make a list. Take action when you feel anxiety take over mind and body.

9. Question yourself.

Notice what negative thoughts or stories you are repeating and believing when you feel anxious or fearful. Ask yourself the following questions.

What is on my mind? Am I making this issue, fear, or worry something bigger than it really is? Can I prove myself wrong? Will it matter a year, six months, 3 months or even one month from now? How can I see this differently?

10. Inhale Peace. Exhale Love.

Most of the time our thoughts are about the “pain of the past” or “the fear of the future.” Be in the present. Learn to take life one present moment at a time. Learn to pause throughout your day. Slowly inhale through your nose and silently repeat the word "peace." Pause for a few seconds. Exhale through your mouth and silently repeat the world love. Do this for five minutes.

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1. Control Your Breathing

Severe anxiety symptoms are often linked to poor breathing habits. Many men and women with anxiety suffer from poor breathing habits that contribute to anxiety and many of the most upsetting symptoms.

Controlling you breathing is the solution – and it's not what you think. Even if you feel you can't take a deep breath, you actually need to slow down and reduce your breathing, not speed it up or try to take deeper breaths. Take more controlled, slower, shallower breaths, using the following technique:

Breathe in slowly and gently through your nose for about 5 to 7 seconds.

Hold for about three or four seconds.

Breathe out slowly and gently through pursed lips like you're whistling for about 7 to 9 seconds.

Repeat this exercise ten to twenty times. This method of breathing will ensure that you're not hyperventilating (a common problem of those with anxiety) and will help to regain the Co2 balance in your body that creates many of the worst anxiety symptoms.

2. Talk to Someone Friendly

Effective anxiety reduction is often about distraction, since your mind can be your worst enemy when you have severe anxiety symptoms. A very effective technique is to talk to someone you like and trust, especially on the phone. Don't be shy about your anxiety – tell them you feel anxious and explain what you're feeling.

Talking to nice people keeps your mind off of your symptoms, and the supportive nature of friends and family gives you that added boost of confidence. If you're suffering from a panic attack, it also helps you feel more confident that if something was wrong, you'd have someone that can watch over you.

3. Try Some Aerobic Activity

During periods of anxiety your body is filled with adrenaline. Putting that adrenaline towards aerobic activity can be a great way to improve your anxiety. That's because exercise has numerous advantages for controlling your anxiety symptoms:

Exercise burns away stress hormones that create anxiety symptoms.

Exercise tires your muscles, reducing excess energy and tension.

Exercise releases endorphins which improve overall mood.

Exercise forces healthier breathing.

Exercise is a healthy distraction.

Aerobic activity, like light jogging or even fast walking, can be extremely effective at reducing the severity of your anxiety symptoms, as well as your anxiety itself.

4. Find What Relaxes You

There are already things in your life that relax you. Don't avoid them and try to fight it out. Instead, do the activities as fast as possible. For example, if you find that a warm bath is relaxing, don't wait to take the bath. Jump in the bath, light some candles, add a few nice scents, and jump inside. Whether it's a bath, a shower, skipping stones at a park, getting a massage – if it works, do it right away, rather than let yourself become overwhelmed by your anxiety.

5. Consider Kava

Kava (also known as Kava Kava) is an anti-anxiety herb that many believe is one of the most effective, natural ways to control anxiety. You'll want to talk to a doctor before taking kava as it can interact with other medications and alcohol, but kava has nutrients known as kavalactones that are very effective at regulating the way you experience anxiety, and promoting greater levels of relaxation without any addiction risk.

6. Learn How to Trick Your Anxious Thinking

Anxiety doesn't come out of the blue. When you have anxiety attacks, it's often because your mind has a tendency to spiral into negative thoughts – often without your control. Sometimes you can control this anxiety by keeping these thoughts at bay, and learning to dismiss triggers that cause you anxiety.

For many, this is easier said than done. But there are many different strategies you can try that may be effective. These include:

A Question Checklist – When you feel severe anxiety, have a checklist on hand of questions to ask yourself about that anxiety experience. The longer the checklist, the more you'll find that your thoughts become more realistic. Questions that you can use include:

Is there a reason to believe something is wrong?

What evidence is there that something is wrong?

Is there a chance I'm blowing this out of proportion?

Affirmations – Affirmations are not for everyone, but those that do use them find them to be very beneficial. Affirmations are things that you say to yourself to make yourself feel better. These include:

I’m okay. This is just anxiety and I will get over it.

I have a great life and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

My anxiety won't control me.

Getting Used to Physical Symptoms – Many of the thoughts that affect anxiety are not thoughts per se, but reactions to physical experiences. This is especially true if you experience panic attacks, where a physical sensation can trigger severe anxiety and panic. By getting used to the symptoms when you're not experiencing anxiety, your mind stops associating them with your panic attacks. Examples include:

Dizziness – If feeling dizzy causes a panic attack, spin around in a chair and let yourself feel more dizzy.

Rapid Heartbeat – If a rapid heartbeat causes panic attacks, run in place as fast as you can until your heartbeat speeds up.

The latter is known as "exposure therapy" and there are countless ways to create exercises that will habituate you to your panic attack triggers.

7. Listen to Good Mood Music

Every little thing matters. That's why even if it sounds like it won't make a tremendous difference, listening to your favorite music can have a powerful effect on your anxiety. They key is to not just choose songs you like, however. The key is also to make sure you're listening to music that represents the way you want to feel. Happy or relaxing music, not just any music.

The reality is that music does affect emotions. So while many people find it soothing to listen to angry music when you're angry or sad music when you're sad, the truth is that this type of music will only help you get in touch with those negative emotions. They won't help you feel better. When you're trying to stop anxiety now, you should listen to music that will help you feel the way you want to feel.

8. Let it All Out

Anxiety is interesting, because it tends to get worse when you try to fight it. It's not clear why that occurs, but most likely the stress that your body goes through in order to control the stress of anxiety only makes it worse, as does the effort it takes to try to not feel your natural feelings.

So rather than have any desire to stop your anxiety, an interesting coping strategy is to go overboard embracing it. I like to call it the "going crazy" technique. When you're feeling anxious, find a place that you can be alone and go nuts. Yell at mirrors. Scream. Punch pillows. In a way, make fun of the things you wish you can do. Have a bit of fun with it, but also let out all of your emotions. Throw stuffed animals. Flail your arms and jump around. Let yourself feel like you're letting out all of your emotions, and then some, to the point where you feel a bit silly, and then keep going with it.

This lets you embrace the anxiety and not try to fight it, while also giving you an opportunity to hold it back. It's best to make sure no one is around, and don't break anything important to you, but as long as what you're doing is safe it can help you feel quite relaxed.

9.

10. Living in Today

Finally, simply learning to live for today can impact your anxiety. One of the most important things that psychologists and counselors teach those with anxiety is: "Okay, you're anxious. So what?"

Those with anxiety often start to focus too much on how they feel and their worries about the future. Each day becomes trying to live with anxiety instead of trying to live in general. Learning to embrace the idea that you have anxiety and trying to live a great and exciting life anyway is important.

And what's interesting is that if you can learn to finally have that mindset – to let yourself experience the fear and try to live the life anyway – you will find that your anxiety tends to dissipate with it. It's not a cure, but it's close

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Avoid your first impulse. In many cases you will feel like lashing out. Don’t. Avoid doing what the other person expects you to do; this will just reinforce the person’s behavior that you find disturbing. Do the opposite of what you feel like doing (or do nothing at all).

Walk away whenever possible. Don’t walk away in a huff, just remove yourself from the situation. You could say, “I don’t think this is the best time to talk about this so I’m going to take some time out. Maybe we can talk about it later when we both feel better.”

Tell yourself calming phrases. Create and memorize calming phrases such as “calm down,” “take it easy,” “keep your cool,” “chill out,” “cool off.” Develop some of your own calming phrases.

Count to ten. This old technique can be very helpful. By concentrating on the counting, you can calm yourself down, become aware of your body language and think of an appropriate response.

Visualize. Create some peaceful scenes in your mind, such as a lake, the oceanside , or whatever you find calming. Keep these visualizations handy to manage your angry feelings.

Tell yourself to stop. You may have to call a halt to your anger before you can use the other techniques we mentioned above. Silently (in your head) shout “stop” when you notice yourself becoming angry. Then tell yourself calming phrases, count to ten, or use your peaceful visualization.

Telling yourself to stop is not suppressing your anger. When you tell yourself to stop, you’re taking charge – you’re making a decision not to allow your anger to escalate and do harm. You also provide yourself an opportunity to handle the situation and your anger in another way.  Everyone gets angry at times and has a right to feel anger. You’re not a bad person for feeling angry. Consider what course of action would best address the situation. What can you choose to do or not, to help solve the problem or improve the situation or relationship?

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1. Take a deep breath.

“The first thing to do when you get anxious is to breathe,” said Tom Corboy, MFT, the founder and executive director of theOCD Center of Los Angeles, and co-author of the upcoming book The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD.

Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a powerful anxiety-reducing technique because it activates the body’s relaxation response. It helps the body go from the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system to the relaxed response of the parasympathetic nervous system, said Marla W. Deibler, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and director of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC.

She suggested this practice: “Try slowly inhaling to a count of 4, filling your belly first and then your chest, gently holding your breath to a count of 4, and slowly exhaling to a count of 4 and repeat several times.”

2. Accept that you’re anxious.

Remember that “anxiety is just a feeling, like any other feeling,” said Deibler, also author of the Psych Central blog “Therapy That Works.” By reminding yourself that anxiety is simply an emotional reaction, you can start to accept it, Corboy said.

Acceptance is critical because trying to wrangle or eliminate anxiety often worsens it. It just perpetuates the idea that your anxiety is intolerable, he said.

But accepting your anxiety doesn’t mean liking it or resigning yourself to a miserable existence.

“It just means you would benefit by accepting reality as it is – and in that moment, reality includes anxiety. The bottom line is that the feeling of anxiety is less than ideal, but it is not intolerable.”

3. Realize that your brain is playing tricks on you.

Psychiatrist Kelli Hyland, M.D., has seen first-hand how a person’s brain can make them believe they’re dying of a heart attack when they’re actually having a panic attack. She recalled an experience she had as a medical student.

“I had seen people having heart attacks and look this ill on the medical floors for medical reasons and it looked exactly the same. A wise, kind and experienced psychiatrist came over to [the patient] and gently, calmly reminded him that he is not dying, that it will pass and his brain is playing tricks on him. It calmed me too and we both just stayed with him until [the panic attack] was over.”

Today, Dr. Hyland, who has a private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah, tells her patients the same thing. “It helps remove the shame, guilt, pressure and responsibility for fixing yourself or judging yourself in the midst of needing nurturing more than ever.”

4. Question your thoughts.

“When people are anxious, their brains start coming up with all sorts of outlandish ideas, many of which are highly unrealistic and unlikely to occur,” Corboy said. And these thoughts only heighten an individual’s already anxious state.

For instance, say you’re about to give a wedding toast. Thoughts like “Oh my God, I can’t do this. It will kill me” may be running through your brain.

Remind yourself, however, that this isn’t a catastrophe, and in reality, no one has died giving a toast, Corboy said.

“Yes, you may be anxious, and you may even flub your toast. But the worst thing that will happen is that some people, many of whom will never see you again, will get a few chuckles, and that by tomorrow they will have completely forgotten about it.”

Deibler also suggested asking yourself these questions when challenging your thoughts:

“Is this worry realistic?

Is this really likely to happen?

If the worst possible outcome happens, what would be so bad about that?

Could I handle that?

What might I do?

If something bad happens, what might that mean about me?

Is this really true or does it just seem that way?

What might I do to prepare for whatever may happen?”

5. Use a calming visualization.

Hyland suggested practicing the following meditation regularly, which will make it easier to access when you’re anxious in the moment.

“Picture yourself on a river bank or outside in a favorite park, field or beach. Watch leaves pass by on the river or clouds pass by in the sky. Assign [your] emotions, thoughts [and] sensations to the clouds and leaves, and just watch them float by.”

This is very different from what people typically do. Typically, we assign emotions, thoughts and physical sensations certain qualities and judgments, such as good or bad, right or wrong, Hyland said. And this often amplifies anxiety. Remember that “it is all just information.”

6. Be an observer — without judgment.

Hyland gives her new patients a 3×5 index card with the following written on it: “Practice observing (thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, judgment) with compassion, or without judgment.”

“I have had patients come back after months or years and say that they still have that card on their mirror or up on their car dash, and it helps them.”

7. Use positive self-talk.

Anxiety can produce a lot of negative chatter. Tell yourself “positive coping statements,” Deibler said. For instance, you might say, “this anxiety feels bad, but I can use strategies to manage it.”

8. Focus on right now.

“When people are anxious, they are usually obsessing about something that might occur in the future,” Corboy said. Instead, pause, breathe and pay attention to what’s happening right now, he said. Even if something serious is happening, focusing on the present moment will improve your ability to manage the situation, he added.

9. Focus on meaningful activities.

When you’re feeling anxious, it’s also helpful to focus your attention on a “meaningful, goal-directed activity,” Corboy said. He suggested asking yourself what you’d be doing if youweren’t anxious.

If you were going to see a movie, still go. If you were going to do the laundry, still do it.

“The worst thing you can do when anxious is to passively sit around obsessing about how you feel.” Doing what needs to get done teaches you key lessons, he said: getting out of your head feels better; you’re able to live your life even though you’re anxious; and you’ll get things done.

“The bottom line is, get busy with the business of life. Don’t sit around focusing on being anxious – nothing good will come of that.”

10. Think before you speak

In the heat of the moment, it's easy to say something you'll later regret. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts before saying anything — and allow others involved in the situation to do the same.

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1. Avoid your first impulse. In many cases you will feel like lashing out. Don’t. Avoid doing what the other person expects you to do; this will just reinforce the person’s behavior that you find disturbing. Do the opposite of what you feel like doing (or do nothing at all).

2. Walk away whenever possible. Don’t walk away in a huff, just remove yourself from the situation. You could say, “I don’t think this is the best time to talk about this so I’m going to take some time out. Maybe we can talk about it later when we both feel better.”

3. Tell yourself calming phrases. Create and memorize calming phrases such as “calm down,” “take it easy,” “keep your cool,” “chill out,” “cool off.” Develop some of your own calming phrases.

4. Count to ten. This old technique can be very helpful. By concentrating on the counting, you can calm yourself down, become aware of your body language and think of an appropriate response.

5. Visualize. Create some peaceful scenes in your mind, such as a lake, the oceanside , or whatever you find calming. Keep these visualizations handy to manage your angry feelings.

6. Tell yourself to stop. You may have to call a halt to your anger before you can use the other techniques we mentioned above. Silently (in your head) shout “stop” when you notice yourself becoming angry. Then tell yourself calming phrases, count to ten, or use your peaceful visualization.

7. Remind yourself that you are doing it for yourself. You will be the one that benefits the most from clearing your mind. Prioritize your peace of mind over everything. Realize that your peace of mind is the most important thing and refuse to allow anyone to negatively encumber it for too long.

8. Go have some fun and laugh.

9. Listen to your favorite song, sing, dance and get your positive energy flowing again.

10. Think about the things in your life that you love and appreciate. It is amazing how true gratitude and appreciation will overshadow any negative feelings you may have.

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1. Control Your Breathing

Severe anxiety symptoms are often linked to poor breathing habits. Many men and women with anxiety suffer from poor breathing habits that contribute to anxiety and many of the most upsetting symptoms.

Controlling you breathing is the solution – and it's not what you think. Even if you feel you can't take a deep breath, you actually need to slow down and reduce your breathing, not speed it up or try to take deeper breaths. Take more controlled, slower, shallower breaths, using the following technique:

Breathe in slowly and gently through your nose for about 5 to 7 seconds.

Hold for about three or four seconds.

Breathe out slowly and gently through pursed lips like you're whistling for about 7 to 9 seconds.

Repeat this exercise ten to twenty times. This method of breathing will ensure that you're not hyperventilating (a common problem of those with anxiety) and will help to regain the Co2 balance in your body that creates many of the worst anxiety symptoms.

2. Talk to Someone Friendly

Effective anxiety reduction is often about distraction, since your mind can be your worst enemy when you have severe anxiety symptoms. A very effective technique is to talk to someone you like and trust, especially on the phone. Don't be shy about your anxiety – tell them you feel anxious and explain what you're feeling.

Talking to nice people keeps your mind off of your symptoms, and the supportive nature of friends and family gives you that added boost of confidence. If you're suffering from a panic attack, it also helps you feel more confident that if something was wrong, you'd have someone that can watch over you.

3. Try Some Aerobic Activity

During periods of anxiety your body is filled with adrenaline. Putting that adrenaline towards aerobic activity can be a great way to improve your anxiety. That's because exercise has numerous advantages for controlling your anxiety symptoms:

Exercise burns away stress hormones that create anxiety symptoms.

Exercise tires your muscles, reducing excess energy and tension.

Exercise releases endorphins which improve overall mood.

Exercise forces healthier breathing.

Exercise is a healthy distraction.

Aerobic activity, like light jogging or even fast walking, can be extremely effective at reducing the severity of your anxiety symptoms, as well as your anxiety itself.

4. Find What Relaxes You

There are already things in your life that relax you. Don't avoid them and try to fight it out. Instead, do the activities as fast as possible. For example, if you find that a warm bath is relaxing, don't wait to take the bath. Jump in the bath, light some candles, add a few nice scents, and jump inside. Whether it's a bath, a shower, skipping stones at a park, getting a massage – if it works, do it right away, rather than let yourself become overwhelmed by your anxiety.

5. Consider Kava

Kava (also known as Kava Kava) is an anti-anxiety herb that many believe is one of the most effective, natural ways to control anxiety. You'll want to talk to a doctor before taking kava as it can interact with other medications and alcohol, but kava has nutrients known as kavalactones that are very effective at regulating the way you experience anxiety, and promoting greater levels of relaxation without any addiction risk.

6. Learn How to Trick Your Anxious Thinking

Anxiety doesn't come out of the blue. When you have anxiety attacks, it's often because your mind has a tendency to spiral into negative thoughts – often without your control. Sometimes you can control this anxiety by keeping these thoughts at bay, and learning to dismiss triggers that cause you anxiety.

For many, this is easier said than done. But there are many different strategies you can try that may be effective. These include:

A Question Checklist – When you feel severe anxiety, have a checklist on hand of questions to ask yourself about that anxiety experience. The longer the checklist, the more you'll find that your thoughts become more realistic. Questions that you can use include:

Is there a reason to believe something is wrong?

What evidence is there that something is wrong?

Is there a chance I'm blowing this out of proportion?

Affirmations – Affirmations are not for everyone, but those that do use them find them to be very beneficial. Affirmations are things that you say to yourself to make yourself feel better. These include:

I’m okay. This is just anxiety and I will get over it.

I have a great life and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

My anxiety won't control me.

Getting Used to Physical Symptoms – Many of the thoughts that affect anxiety are not thoughts per se, but reactions to physical experiences. This is especially true if you experience panic attacks, where a physical sensation can trigger severe anxiety and panic. By getting used to the symptoms when you're not experiencing anxiety, your mind stops associating them with your panic attacks. Examples include:

Dizziness – If feeling dizzy causes a panic attack, spin around in a chair and let yourself feel more dizzy.

Rapid Heartbeat – If a rapid heartbeat causes panic attacks, run in place as fast as you can until your heartbeat speeds up.

The latter is known as "exposure therapy" and there are countless ways to create exercises that will habituate you to your panic attack triggers.

7. Listen to Good Mood Music

Every little thing matters. That's why even if it sounds like it won't make a tremendous difference, listening to your favorite music can have a powerful effect on your anxiety. They key is to not just choose songs you like, however. The key is also to make sure you're listening to music that represents the way you want to feel. Happy or relaxing music, not just any music.

The reality is that music does affect emotions. So while many people find it soothing to listen to angry music when you're angry or sad music when you're sad, the truth is that this type of music will only help you get in touch with those negative emotions. They won't help you feel better. When you're trying to stop anxiety now, you should listen to music that will help you feel the way you want to feel.

8. Let it All Out

Anxiety is interesting, because it tends to get worse when you try to fight it. It's not clear why that occurs, but most likely the stress that your body goes through in order to control the stress of anxiety only makes it worse, as does the effort it takes to try to not feel your natural feelings.

So rather than have any desire to stop your anxiety, an interesting coping strategy is to go overboard embracing it. I like to call it the "going crazy" technique. When you're feeling anxious, find a place that you can be alone and go nuts. Yell at mirrors. Scream. Punch pillows. In a way, make fun of the things you wish you can do. Have a bit of fun with it, but also let out all of your emotions. Throw stuffed animals. Flail your arms and jump around. Let yourself feel like you're letting out all of your emotions, and then some, to the point where you feel a bit silly, and then keep going with it.

This lets you embrace the anxiety and not try to fight it, while also giving you an opportunity to hold it back. It's best to make sure no one is around, and don't break anything important to you, but as long as what you're doing is safe it can help you feel quite relaxed.

9. Come up with another one here, Olivia! thanks!!

10. Living in Today

Finally, simply learning to live for today can impact your anxiety. One of the most important things that psychologists and counselors teach those with anxiety is: "Okay, you're anxious. So what?"

Those with anxiety often start to focus too much on how they feel and their worries about the future. Each day becomes trying to live with anxiety instead of trying to live in general. Learning to embrace the idea that you have anxiety and trying to live a great and exciting life anyway is important.

And what's interesting is that if you can learn to finally have that mindset – to let yourself experience the fear and try to live the life anyway – you will find that your anxiety tends to dissipate with it. It's not a cure, but it's close.