I’ve always thrived in the cold weather. No heat, no humidity, watching the snow fall from my front window – these are things I look forward to every year. That being said, I understand millions feel the exact opposite, and in fact, many feel a heightened sense of anxiety during this time.

As hard as it may be to believe, you can create fresh starts despite anxiety. Anxiety is hard to live with in part because it's so unforgiving. We berate ourselves for perceived mistakes and worry that we've completely ruined "everything." Self-blame, guilt, and even self-loathing dominate. Anxious thoughts try to convince us that there's no going back and nothing can be fixed or changed. In reality, there are fresh starts even when we have anxiety. It's never too late to begin anew.  

If you want less anxiety, one of the best ways to achieve that is to have fewer friends. I can imagine many of you will think I’m completely misguided – I hope that, by the end of this post, I can at least get you to see where I’m coming from. I wouldn’t be advocating for such a position if I didn’t think that having fewer friends created less anxiety.

Massage for anxiety may just be the feel-good, anxiety-management technique that many of us have been seeking. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to use a tool that not only reduced anxiety but was pleasurable, too? Massage can be relaxing, but is that relaxation enough to reduce anxiety? Here's a look at massage for anxiety so you can decide if you want to add this technique to your anxiety-reducing toolbox.

Anxiety therapy is an option for treating anxiety; indeed, counseling for anxiety can be very beneficial in helping you overcome worries and replace them with things that you find important and valuable. If you've thought about seeing a counselor but are unsure whether it's worth it, you're not alone. Deciding whether to seek professional help can sometimes cause more anxiety. Consider the following five benefits of anxiety therapy to help you determine whether counseling for anxiety is right for you. 

In my last post, I touched on music for anxiety relief. I want to do the same today, albeit from a different direction. My previous post focused exclusively on the impact of one specific song. This time, I want to talk about the impact of music for anxiety relief in a more general sense.

Imagine being able to use anxiety-reducing phrases and feeling empowered to live your best life. Can words really have such influence? As anyone who lives or has lived with anxiety knows painfully well, anxiety is controlling and overpowering. It can shut down anybody, no matter who they are, how they live, or the hopes and dreams they hold dear. Despite this, there are many things we can all do to reduce anxiety and move forward. One such anxiety-reducing method is to adopt some empowering phrases, such as the ones below. 

Could there be a good New Year resolution for the anxious mind? This isn’t a post about my specific New Year’s resolutions – those are personal. Rather, this is about New Year’s resolutions in general, and how they can be invaluable for someone with an anxious mind.

Have you ever second-guessed yourself, questioning your words or actions? Many people place second-guessing at or near the top of their list of agonizing effects of anxiety. At best, it can knock down your sense of inner peace and happiness a notch or two. At worst, anxiously second-guessing our choices can cause us to berate ourselves relentlessly, unnecessarily assume blame, question whether we're good enough, and begin to pull away from a connected, active lifestyle. We don't have to let anxiety have this life-limiting and frustrating effect on us. Stop second-guessing and become self-assured in what you say and do.

Feeling anxious and busy--too busy--seems to be an epidemic. Feeling strapped for time negatively impacts a lot of lives. Sometimes this is a signal that big changes are needed; however, sometimes changing what is overwhelming is either impossible (at least immediately) or is undesirable ("busy" doesn't always mean "bad") There are ways to deal with anxiety and busyness without giving your life a major overhaul.