The Mental Emotional Health Blog

When things happen, it is almost automatic that you react. But if you overreact often or find yourself worrying about an event for long periods of time, there are a few ways to think in order to keep perspective and keep anxiety manageable.

When an unpleasant event happens:

1. Take two seconds before you react, and decide if it is a reaction you feel okay having. (This allows your rational mind to keep functioning, and avoids an emotional or impulsive reaction).
2. Take two more seconds and consider a likely consequence to your reaction. 
3. Take one minute (either right away or later that day) ask yourself what you can do now to move on from the event. The longer you mentally stay stuck in the moment and dwell, the tougher it is to let it go.
4. If you feel worried about it and expect to keep feeling that way for days, allow yourself a specific amount of time to worry about it. (Example: I’m worried about something next week. I will worry all I want for 30 minutes a day, and no more.) It may sound silly to put a time limit on it, but people sometimes allow worry to continue on and off most of the day and night and end up feeling more worried or depressed as a result.
5. Let it go through exercise. Good for your health + Good body chemicals released during exercise = Feeling better
6. Let it go physically and mentally. Take a pen, hold it in front of you, imagine all of your worry flowing into the pen from your mind, and then let the pen drop to the floor.
7. Get good, quality rest.