-Making sure i get 7-8 hrs sleep a night.
-Making sure i move at least for half hour to 45 min a day. ..weather it be cleaning, or if i can get outside that is good as well.
-being honest about what causes anxiety
-taking the steps to improve them i.e.
---Meditation most every day, crying it out"but don't stay in it", journaling,
---No alcohol, high sweets, i do drink a little dole juice as it helps for vit-c
---making sure i eat 3 meals a day.
---get rid of any negative thinking as quick as i can. "sometimes that isn't to quick lol"
---make sure i call someone each day that understands where i may be and have them offer advice like.."stop it" :O)

I have just started exercising again, it can make me have anxiety and panic b/c i obsess over the racing heart and then i panic but now i am going to learn to deal with it and realize it is good for your heart to race when exercising. i believe it will help reduce my anxiety and I have started eating better also. this with my GREAT new therapist seems to be helping. Hoping to lose 30lbs

eating better(still not great. i need to cut out the high-glycemic foods for good)
my ashwagandha (it has seriouslt been a God send so far. and its only been 16 days! all the scientific studies are proving to be true for me. i will be on this herb for life)
exposure has been essential. i just gor for it. i don't do things in stages and if i fail, i just try again.
meditation has helped me a lot but i haven't been doing it lately. gotta get on the ball.

I love this thread Betsy. Thanks for the ideas :) :)

Making sure

I eat 'healthy' Don't skip Breckie!!
Get proper rest.
I just started getting back into daily work outs this week... it is so very important but because I have injuries that flare up when i exercise sometimes I get lazy to avoid the pain.. but it is so important .. and I think I'm motivated to keep it up.
Going for walks.. my puppy motivates me with that one :)
Going to the pool.. I love to swim and water exercise is easier for me to do
Using meditation or self-hypnosis 3 times a week
Making sure that I do something for others once a day.. no matter how small.. just anything to make someone else feel better
Taking vitamins, Vit C, CoQ10, Calcium/Mag with Vit D, Omega 3's
I have an ion cleanse machine and a CHI machine and I'm getting back into using them.. it's pure laziness that I stop doing things periodically
Sometimes I write down or email myself something that I want to read in the morning.. whether it be some new information... a peom that I wrote or just some self talk to repeat during the day as positive affirmations...

I agree it is a combination of things and a mind-set.. you can't attribute just one thing to feeling better but I think that once you are on track and you 'get' it.. it really is so very easy .. and you just want to scream it to the world.. or do knowledge transfer..

Thanks again Betsy :)
xo J.

What a wonderful post and wonderful replies.

The progress I've made in the last two weeks has been due to a foundation that was slow in building. Eating every 2-3 hours small amounts. No sugar, caffine, or alchohol. Gaining back the 10 lbs I'd lost due to anxiety. Building back my stanima through exercise which consists of either cleaning, working outside, walking, bow-flex, and floor exercises. Acceptance of the anxious feelings and thinking of them as no big deal. 10 mg of Celexa and Xanex i I need it, which I rarely do anymore. Exposure therapy everyday. Admitting to others I have anxiety/panic attacks. Positive thinking, being creative in my sewing room, and lots of prayer. I do somtimes do visualization exercises to calm down or before I try a new experience. Communicating with others either on the forum, in person, or by phone. Being greatful for the small things and finding joy in the simple thngs. The books "Battlefields of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer and "Live your best life now" by Joel Olsteen really changed my attitude. The Panic Away program gave me tools and tapes to use which have greatly helped me also.

I've never narrowed my anxiety or panic issues to specific foods. Caffeine does seem to emphasize the effects of anxiety and general healthy eating does make me feel better.

Want2B: Do you feel a difference if you miss your eggs in the morning?

This one might sound a bit odd but bicycle riding works better than almost any other coping technique I've tried. I think it's a combination of the aerobic exercise and being out on a tree lined bike trail helps calm my nerves and brings me to my happy place. (Of course living in the Northeastern US means I only have this technique available to me 6-7 months a year.)

I'm reading "Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway" by Susan Jeffers. Once I finish the book I'm going to experiment with the many exercises detailed in the book. When I get into a regular program I'll be sure to share it ith you guys.

i find that forcing myself to do the things i fear over and over again is what works best for me. i used to run from any situation that made me anxious but forcing myself to feel the uncomfortable feelings has made a big difference. i also gave up chocolate and it has helped alot.

Sounds like there's a common theme amongst us as to what is helping. I agree with all the changes and I think over time they build on each other.

I feel like I hit a plateau where it is hard to descibe how exactly I feel. Not scared all the time, yet not a calm feeling of well-being or at a point where I feel comfortable making plans ahead. I am hopeful that is coming soon.

Actually, I have made some plans with my husband and that is easier since he's my safe perrson. I also have committed to some things that might cause anxiety yet I am not worrying about them since they are weeks away. That is a good sign, too.

Thanks for all the input! BEtsy

I agree with Petersen about letting others know about our anxiety. I quit telling people because early on I told too much and people got tired of hearing me. Many of us need reassurance so we tell people around us. That gets old to them because we probably sound like a broken record. However, when I did Lucinda Bassetts program 8 years ago (and it worked so well I sold it! and could use it now) one thing we were to do was read positive books. One of them was on the line of Law of Attraction and realizing what we keep telling ourselves keeps us where we are. So, I changed my wording to, "I used to have bad anxiety and panic" and people would reply, "Wow, I would never have known". We put up such strong fronts and that is probably another thing that keeps us balled up in anxiety.

Betsy

Great advice Betsy. I have just recently felt that when people ask how I'm doing, and I tell them, that they is a current going down in front of their eyes due to disinterest, or they just don't want to hear it. I've come to the conclusion that those who love me, now know I have this. Those that don't love me, don't care. When asked how I feel, I respond fine and leave it at that, unless they ask specifically. I needed to read your last post to confirm what I thought was happening in ohers reactions, really was.