Anxiety can manifest in different levels of intensity. It can manifest as intense concern that you won’t finish a presentation on time, a vague but persistent sense that something isn’t right, a sudden and agitated belief that you’re in imminent danger, or even as a heart-thumping overwhelm of panic brought on by the unavoidable reality of inevitable death. 

Regardless of the scale of our anxiety, what do we do to cope with it? Whether minor or major, anxiety negatively affects the quality of any life, but luckily professionals have been working towards therapeutic coping techniques for decades. 

The next time you feel anxiety coming on, try one or all of these techniques to keep the waves at bay. 
(Note: these are tools that can help prevent oncoming anxiety as well as dissolve anxiety that has already set in)

1. FEAR = False.Evidence.Appearing.Real
   Without fear, anxiety can’t exist. When we are afraid, our fear feels VERY real. Example: If you are afraid of flying, and you are in an airplane feeling very afraid, it’s because the possibility of a plane crash feels very real to you. But is it real? NO. In that moment, your fear is nothing more than FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. That is to say, whether you are anxious about a deadline, people’s opinions of you, contracting an illness, or literally anything else, your anxiety is false evidence that your mind thinks is real. When we realize that our anxieties are based on figments of our imaginations, we can begin to breathe easy. So never forget what fear stands for: False Evidence Appearing Real. That’s all it is. 
    
2. Breathe
   Speaking of breathing easy, our breath is possibly the most powerful tool in subduing anxiety. When we are anxious, it’s because we are sensing (or, quite often, imagining) that something is wrong, or that we aren’t safe. Taking deep, slow, patient breaths sends signals to your brain that everything is perfectly fine and just as it should be. Once you’ve sent this signal to your brain, your brain sends it out to your body, and a cycle of calm can begin. 
    
3. Exercise 
   Anxiety can often be a result of a deficiency in natural feel-good chemicals such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. Exercising is a highly effective way of giving your brain and body the doses of these chemicals that it needs. Unfortunately, for many of us, working out is the very last thing we want to do when we’re feeling anxious. What research has found, however, is that even just a five minute walk can begin to get the feel-good chemicals flowing. Similarly, a simple stretch routine can be a way to activate the endorphins your body is craving without breaking a sweat. If you happen to be somebody who does enjoy exercise, then here is a dose of great news: the more you work out, the less anxious you’ll feel. 
    
4. Baby Animals, etc.
   In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a therapeutic method developed by Doctor Marsha Linehan, it is encouraged to develop a toolbox of things that make you feel happy and relaxed to turn to in emergency anxiety situations. But who needs a toolbox when you have a Smart Phone? When you feel yourself beginning to panic, look up videos of baby animals and watch as many in a row as possible. It might sound silly, or too easy, but this truly does an amazing job of steadying the breath and altering the dangerous train of thought you’re taking a ride on. Maybe baby animals aren’t a source of comfort for you. Doesn’t matter! You can think of anything at all that makes you smile--race cars, synchronized swimming, funny “epic fail” videos, scuba divers, skydivers, old-timey nostalgic cartoons, you name it--then find your favorite videos and bookmark them all on your phone or computer. These will be your safety blanket when all else fails. 

Life is, no doubt, quite scary at times, and we’ve developed fear and anxiety as a survival skill. But more often than not, these emotions harm us more than they help. Today, you no longer have to suffer from anxiety. Be sure to experiment with these tools to experience the serenity you deserve.