Coping with anxiety and stress:

With everything that’s going on in the world right now, all the issues that need addressing day-to-day may feel overwhelming. It’s useful identify which of those issues are problems that need to be addressed or solved and which are just worries that are not necessarily backed up by facts.

Below are some actions you can take to resolve issues that come up for you.

1. Identify what you feel are problems. What concerns about these problems are causing you stress or anxiety?
2. So you don’t feel overwhelmed, divide each problem down into smaller parts. Identify what parts of the issue are most important; what needs to be addressed now, what can be tackled tomorrow, and what parts can be addressed later or even eliminated because you identified they ultimately aren’t a substantial problem.
3. Brainstorm some possibilities that can help focus on the problem. List all possible options.
4. Identify the pros and cons of each option and decide upon the best option you have.
5. Carry out your solution and see how it goes. Did it solve the problem? Did it help a bit? Do you need to adjust the solution to consider another solution from your list?
6. Ask others their opinions on your “problem”. Ask for feedback on your solution.
7. Consider writing these thought processes down on paper. You can check off tasks as you complete them. Using this as a tool can help you feel and see you are getting things resolved and can combat feelings of helplessness.

_{Photo by energepic.com from Pexels}