Sometimes there is no positive or necessary outcome to be had from a situation. But, the more a person can find a way to find the silver linings in the difficulties of life, the easier those difficulties become to manage. Many people use spirituality as a means of coping with the stresses of life. Turning the negative energy into something positive by creating is a tangible way to vent out difficult emotions and process them. Distracting oneself is a viable way to combat these negative emotions. Social work is a good example, as it is a stressful field that generally provides a lot of meaning to the people who work within it.
healthy coping skills and strategies to help you cope with real life
Our default method of tackling stress often links back to how our caregivers, teachers, and others in our social environment handled difficulties around us as children. Since we were highly impressionable, we couldn’t help but copy their coping styles, whether positive or negative. Anxiety is a condition triggered primarily by some form of stress. Almost everyone experiences feelings of anxiety from time to time, but some people experience it on a long-term basis. In an ideal world, you’d be able to face all your problems head-on and solve them right away. Emotion-focused coping can help you weather these challenges and build resilience.
Positive Thinking
For example, if you are very overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious, you may not yet feel ready to process what you are feeling. It may be easier for you at that time to distract yourself with something positive or practice self-care. Walking, running, yoga, or any form of exercise you enjoy, can release natural mood-lifting chemicals. Regular exercise can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Always go at your own pace, even light stretching and simple movements can bring health benefits. Social coping involves getting support from others, such as talking to a trusted friend about your worries, joining a support group, or seeking professional help.
Or, maybe you’re not even sure how to name what coping skills for anxiety you’re feeling with words. If you’re new to meditation, get started by learning more about different types or trying this easy body scan exercise. Positive thinking can have a number of benefits, including acting as a buffer against life’s stresses. When you see things in a more positive light, you are better able to make decisions without responding from a place of fear or anxiety. However, it’s not entirely possible to cut all stress out of our lives. Some factors in our jobs, our relationships, or our lifestyles are simply prone to creating challenges.
It is much easier to keep a positive attitude about life when you decide that the negative experiences you meet are just challenges to help you grow and develop as a person. The two people facing that situation will need different coping mechanisms. You might have an anxiety disorder and benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other treatments. The next time worrying feels overwhelming, you’ll have the tools at your disposal to cope with it. Something as simple as picturing a relaxing scene may help you cope with anxious thoughts or situations as they happen. Besides exercising and eating a balanced diet, Yalda Safai, MD, a psychiatrist, recommends investing in a meditation course.
