I’ve struggled with anxiety most of my life. While meditating on a regular basis has helped, receiving BodyTalk sessions has made the most impact on my anxiety levels – so much so that I went through the training and became a practitioner myself. However, I’ve picked a lot of other tools along the way.
If you’re feeling anxious, can’t relax or just need to unwind, try something from this list and see if it works for you. Enjoy!
1 – Meditate – try the Insight Timer app
2 – Take deep breaths – exhaling longer than you inhale
3 – Take a walk or run outside
4 – Spend time in nature
5 – Put your bare feet on the ground (also known as earthing)
6 – Get fresh air
7 – Spend time in the sunlight
8 – Take a bath with Epsom salt and essential oils
9 – Listen to classical music
10 – Go to the gym
11 – Read a book
12 – Play a musical instrument
13 – Take a nap
14 – Drink tea (try chamomile, lemon balm, linden or passionflower)
15 – Stretch
16 – Talk to a friend
17 – Look at photos of nature
18 – Listen to sounds of nature, or spa-like music
19 – Read one of your favorite blogs
20 – Drink more water
21 – Reduce caffeine
22 – Take a day off work
23 – Visit a church, temple, monastery or a building with beautiful architecture
24 – Spend time near or on the water (ocean, lake, river)
25 – Cook
26 – Write a thank you note
27 – Go to the spa
28 – Go somewhere high and take in the views
29 – Get a massage
30 – Try acupuncture
31 – Clean out your inbox or clear your desk
32 – Write a letter to someone you haven’t seen in awhile
33 – Think of all the things you’re grateful for
34 – Open up or roll down your windows
35 – Go to lunch or dinner with friends
36 – Make your bed
37 – Exercise
38 – Visit a botanical garden
39 – Practice yoga
40 – Watch a funny movie
41 – Block time in your calendar to do something on this list
42 – Buy an indoor plant
43 – Spend time with animals (dogs, cats, horses, etc.)
44 – Go to a comedy show
45 – Rent a book from a library
46 – Spend time away from screens and wifi
47 – Eat outside
48 – Watch a sporting event in person
49 – Go to a meditation class
50 – Eat a bowl of warm soup
51 – Take a long shower
52 – Plan a vacation
53 – Sleep in
54 – Drink a glass of warm water (adding lemon if you choose)
55 – Go to bed early
56 – Play a sport
57 – Join a support group
58 – Paint or draw
59 – Color using an adult coloring book (or a kid’s book if you’d like)
60 – Ride a bike
61 – Use essential oils or aromatherapy
62 – Reduce sugar in your diet
63 – Watch a mesmerizing fire
64 – Take a vacation
65 – Go to counseling
66 – Get a babysitter and take some time for yourself
67 – Try halotherapy (aka salt therapy)
68 – Give yourself a massage
69 – Watch your thoughts and change the negative to positive
70 – Spend time away from social media
71 – Relax in a hammock
72 – Have a BBQ or dinner party with friends
73 – Take a class at a community center, college or university
74 – Clean your house
75 – Talk about your problems with a friend or family member
76 – Unsubscribe from emails and blogs that don’t bring value
77 – Declutter and get rid of items you don’t need
78 – Drink a glass of golden milk (tumeric milk)
79 – Turn on music and dance
80 – Revisit a hobby you’ve neglected
81 – Do something nice for someone else
82 – Finish your work as quickly as possible, so you can take the rest of the day off
83 – Light a few candles and turn off the lights
84 – Buy a crystal at your favorite crystal shop
85 – Hike in the mountains
86 – Make a snowman or snow angel
87 – Study a topic that interests you
88 – Go to a restaurant for dinner
89 – Have a picnic
90 – Go to the park with friends
91 – Take on a new hobby or something that intrigues you
92 – Go paddleboarding
93 – Try a new recipe
94 – Meal prep so you don’t have to worry about what to eat – saving time throughout the week
95 – Go on a road trip
96 – Observe your thoughts without engaging in them
97 – Lie down on the grass
98 – Play with a stress ball
99 – Make a to do list to free up your mind
100 – Shop at a farmer’s market
101 – Do something you loved to do as a child