Do you ever feel like the world around is going so much faster than yourself? You look, think, and realize that time is flying by and what have you accomplished? Anxiety, stress, depression, and a headache. This blog will hopefully give you useful tips to use when you start to feel the world crashing down, or at least get you thinking of some other ideas that will work for you.

Tip number one, go to the gym.

One thing that a lot of people do is exercise to relieve stress and/or anxiety. How many times have you not wanted to go to the gym because your day at work was complete chaos and all you want to do is have a glass of wine, eat some chips, and binge watch your favorite Netflix series,alone? Welp, you’re not the only one! But before you make your final decision to exercise or not, you text that friend, or already have your gym clothes in your car screaming at you, telling you that it is time to change, man/woman up, and go get shit done. Then you walk through the door to the loud music that can drown your thoughts and you see your friends, knowing you made the right choice. Sweating it out has so many benefits it is mind blowing that not everyone wants to workout after as stressful day!

Tip number two, breathe.

Time and time again, breathing is the secret keeper to controlling your stress level. Ever heard of Heat and Ice Recovery Training? If you haven’t,one of its main purposes is how to adapt when your body is under stress. Breathe.The breath is of utmost importance. The first thing you hear when you come up from the ice-cold water is to “slow your breath”. So, why not add this phrase/practice to your everyday life when you feel it is you against the world? What works well is slow deep breathing.

Inhale, pause, exhale. Inhale, pause, exhale.

Throw in some counting if it helps. In, two, three, pause, exhale, two, three. Make sense?Try this the next time you feel like things are swarming around in your brain and you can’t seem to catch a break. Take the time as you are the most important person in your life.

Tip number three, gratitude.

What do you think about most when stress, anxiety, and depression creep in unexpectedly? Is it that you are not deserving, undesirable, or selfish? Ya know what? These feelings are okay, most everyone has them at some point. You are not alone.

Have gratitude.

Look at your world, see what you already have, be grateful, list those things out. Hey, it could be much worse,such as not having clean water, or not having shelter, or let alone food. You know us die-hard exercisers like our food. In all seriousness, have gratitude. List things that you are grateful for. It could be the simplest things like being grateful for your grips from Bear Complex, or your case of FitAid that is on monthly auto-order. Life is about the little things, so stop and smell the roses and give gratitude when negative feelings creep in. You will be okay. Have gratitude in everything that you do.

Photo: XPTLife, April Wong