Cope!

Are you feeling overwhelmed and need healthy ways to deal with the situation? Whether it's an argument with a friend and you need to calm down or you're having trouble thinking clearly, there is always a way to relieve your emotions. This is called a coping strategy.

There are 2 main coping strategy categories:

Emotion focused coping

Problem focused coping

Emotion-focused coping:

Allows a person to handle their emotions while things are overwhelming or when the situation cannot be changed.

Breathing

Have you wondered why you tend to breathe faster when you are in an anxious situation? Or have you noticed your breath while you're in a relaxed state? This is due to the link between breathing and the body's stress responses, but the way to hack it is to remember to breathe slower. Scientifically, breathing slower and deeper sends the signal to your nervous system to relax.

Square breathing

5 senses grounding technique

This technique is used in anxiety or panic attacks to focus on the moment and what's around you. It helps slow down your thoughts and think in a more calmer state.

Focus On 5 Things You Can See

Focus On 4 Things You Can Touch

Focus On 3 Things You Can Hear

Focus On 2 Things You Can Smell

Focus On 1 Thing You Can Taste

Meditation

Meditation is a practice of relaxing and grounding your mind and body to the present. There are many different types of methods with meditation, but the most popularized form is when you focus on a specific object: sensations, breath, a physical object, a visualization. Try it out whenever you feel like you need to calm down!

Mindfulness meditation

1. Sit down in a comfortable spot and position, preferably with your legs crossed.

2. Close your eyes if needed and focus on one thing, like your breath

3. Observe thoughts as they come and let them flow

Listening to sounds

Sounds can affect your brain, positively or negatively in certain situations. This is due to the frequencies that our brains operate on. From fastest to slowest: gamma, beta, alpha, theta, and delta. Nature sounding audios like beach waves, leaves rustling, crickets chirping, rain, etc.. are linked to alpha and theta waves, which can help relax the mind.

Playlist under construction

Positive thinking

Flip the problem upside down! If you feel consumed with negativity or just overwhelmed, that is perfectly okay. Listen to your thoughts and if they cause distress, stop yourself. Acknowledge the thought and think about other ways you could rephrase it, in a more positive way.

For example, you just failed your test and you're having thoughts that you are not smart enough and it is really affecting your mood. Feel the emotions that want to be released, but don't wallow in self pity. Instead, know that there is a re-test coming up next week and you will have plenty of time to study for it! Although, if that doesn't work out, know that all you need is more practice.

*Try affirmations!*

These can benefit you by altering your negative thoughts into positive ones. Repeating such phrases that lift you up will trick your brain into believing. Why? Because our brains are more likely to believe what we hear the most of. If we are implementing positive talk to ourselves, we are slowly releasing negative thought patterns as our mindset is changing, thus resulting in a better attitude towards situations. Need some ideas?

Letting emotions out

It is always okay to express your sadness, stress, anxieties, and etc.. Letting these emotions out paves a new light for us to see sometimes as we reflect upon them. Practicing this will make you feel more comfortable with your emotions and how to manage them better. In fact, crying can release oxytocin and endorphins in the brain after a period of time. They are feel-good hormones that reduce emotional and physical pain in the body. Talking it out with someone can also create a sense of belonging and connection with the person, as well as help you feel understood. Sometimes, they can help you see problems in a different light. Other ways to let emotions out are:

- Journaling

- Drawing

- Punching a pillow

- Exercising

Distractions

Although there are countless things in the world that can distract you from the stressor(s), it is important to choose healthy ways that can help long term, such as a hobby. If you need ideas: click here for 100 things to do!

Problem-focused coping:

Facing the problem head on to alleviate a person's stress.

Asking for help

Asking for help makes it easier to solve the problem by viewing scenarios in different perspectives or getting support for the problem. It is always advisable to gain insights through other people, as we may have limiting beliefs. This can be a trusted family member, friend, counselor, therapist, etc.

Balanced time management

Managing your time will create an organized schedule for the day so you don't have to worry about what to do next. Remove time wasters out of your day, things that take up your time that are unnecessary. Managing time also increases focus as well.

Tip: You can create a to-do list to help you know what you're doing. Personally, I like to create it on the reminders app on mobile so I can set a time stamp on when to do the task.

Removing the stressor(s)

Removing the stressor(s) takes your mind off the problem, as it no longer will exist. Although, this is not an easy task, especially when the problem is persistent or you have emotions attached to it.

For example: a toxic relationship.

Weigh out the good parts and the severity of the problem. Journaling can help you keep track of your emotions. Will I feel better or worse removing this stressor?--Remember, it is always okay to take your time. Sometimes, it takes a while to know what you really need versus what you want. It all ties in with how much you think you deserve as well, and that can be improved with self love and healing.