I’m a worrier. I always have been, and probably always will be. In my defense, I can’t really help it. I have anxiety/panic disorder, so where the average person sees a minor inconvenience, my sympathetic nervous system sees a major threat to my well-being. When that happens, my adrenaline spikes, and I go into “fight or flight” mode. I once got so freaked out by a bee coming towards me that I took off across a busy street, burst a blood vessel in my nose, and bled for 45 minutes. Crazy, right? The real zinger is, I can’t really take daily medications for it because they tend to make things worse for me for some reason.

Since I’ve been dealing with this for the better part of my life, I’ve had to learn creative ways to leave my worries behind. I think I’ve gotten pretty good at it over the years. Of course, I’ll never be totally worry-free, but at least I’m not ducking for cover every time a bee comes within 50 yards of me! Twenty-yards, however, is a different story!

Tips to Leave Your Worries Behind

• Schedule your worries. One of the best tips I’ve ever gotten is to schedule my worries. That way, they have a time and place to really be addressed. When I find myself worrying about something at, say, 1am, I remind myself that there is absolutely nothing I can do in the middle of the night to resolve them, so I may as well get some sleep.
• Vacation in fantasy world. I’m not saying you should spend all your time living  outside reality, but I try to spend at least a little time each day inside a world of my own creation. I imagine my perfect library, or what I would do if I won the lottery, or anything else that makes me feel calmer.
• Inhale some peppermint.I keep a jar of peppermint herb next to my desk, and when I feel blah or need to clear my head, I stick my face over it and inhale deeply. It makes me feel better right away. Citrus scents also help.
• Take a walk, and bring your camera. Going for a walk in a serene environment can really help clear out those worries. Bring along your camera so you can capture the beauty and look at it during times when you can’t leave the house. I shared a bunch of pictures in another post recently, but this one was my favorite:

What do you do to make your life more worry free? Share your tips here, or stop by for the Glam Discussion Hour on Thursday, March 15th at 4pm PST (7PM EST). Three winners will be chosen to receive a year-long Netflix subscription!

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