How can I learn to cope with anxiety?

How can I learn to cope with anxiety? I have just watched this wonderful TED talk by Olivia Remes about how to cope with anxiety.

1 in every 14 people in the world have an anxiety disorder. A little anxiety improves our performance and helps us deal with emergencies. Too much causes us to worry excessively and constantly, and results in restlessness and the inability to concentrate.

Our coping strategies have a direct impact on the amount of anxiety we experience. Olivia talks about three coping strategies that we can develop to lower our anxiety:

1 – Feel like we are in control of our life. People with anxiety put off starting things, and find it hard to make decisions. Olivia’s tip for this is to allow ourselves to do things badly, which catapults us into action, rather than being paralysed by decisions. We tend to improve as we go along, and it allows us to finish tasks.

2 – Forgive ourselves. Anxious people are over-thinkers, and the constant self-criticism is exhausting. We need to be kinder and more supportive to ourself, and forgive any mistakes we may have made.

3 – Have a purpose and meaning in life. Doing things for other people can improve our mental health. Doing things for future generations can also help us realise the uniqueness and importance of our life.

I love these tips, and intend to use them immediately to start reducing my own anxiety levels!

Project 365

I set up this website after deciding that I want to build a more creative life for myself, so I can give up my job and be in control of my own destiny.

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year, to document my journey from employment to self-employment.

The name I chose was Project 365 because I see this as a year that I have dedicated to learning and self-development, as I countdown to freedom. It started on 1st January 2021, so I have 208 days to go!