The Easy Way to Handle Anxiety by Johnny Montoya (carter reed txt) 📕

* Your Safe Zone starts at home.

* Have a big clearout every few months. Categorize all your belongings into “need”, “don't know yet” and “don't need”. Try to get rid of as much as you can.

* Arrange your furniture so that your lounge has a pleasant vibe to it.

* To maintain a nice, cool temperature, keep your windows open, get some fans, and a spray bottle.

* If you're a jumpy person, set an abrupt alarm and ring your doorbell, repeatedly, until it has no effect on you.

* Make your bedroom relaxing, spacious, and aesthetically pleasing.

* Get some incense or air freshener to create a nice atmosphere.

* Get into pleasant TV programmes, radio stations and books.

* Always have nice snacks prepared that you can grab whenever you want.

* Plan pleasant activities to give you something to look forward to.

* Play relaxing or uplifting music while you do chores.

* Try not to get compulsive about anything. Don't stick to the same things for too long. Get into different habits. Mix it up.

* Don't dwell on anxiety too often. When thinking about it, focus on positive solutions.

* If you can think of anything else that will make life easier for you at home, go for it.

You now have a pleasant and relaxed home environment. That's your first step. Now I'm going to show you an unusual but very effective way to increase your comfort level. Not just at home, but wherever you go.

It's not easy to predict when you're going to feel vulnerable and susceptible to anxiety. It seems to have a life of its own, and a habit of springing up out of the blue. Having some crutches to rely on can be very helpful.

The following suggestions are measures that you can take to give yourself a sense of safety and peace of mind wherever you happen to be. These are all very easy things that you can do any time, and you can do them all within a few days.

Get 3 small boxes, and 2 small transparent plastic bags (like the ones that you get from the bank). In each, put the following items:

* Mints, cough sweets, and sugar free chewing gum (all unwrapped)

* An inhaler (that you use when you've got a blocked nose)

* Lip balm

Make sure you always have a plentiful supply of all these items. We'll call them our fresh items.

The reason for this is, well, I don't know about you but for me personally, if I feel that I can't breathe properly, or I don't feel fresh, it makes me more prone to anxiety than I might already be. There's something about a nice, fresh mint or cough sweet that I find comforting. It also gives me something to keep me occupied and distracted, not to mention that having fresh breath reduces the chance of feeling sick. If you know what I'm talking about I'm sure you'll find it helpful too. If you can think of other similar items specific to you, put them in too.

Now, go to each room in your house and put in the following:

Lounge

* A box of your fresh items.

* A bottle of water, close to where you usually sit.

* A fan. Position it wherever you're likely to need it most often.

Bedroom

* A box of your fresh items.

* A bottle of water by your bed, within arm's reach.

* A fan pointing right at you when you're lying down.

* Incense (and an incense holder) or some kind of nice, comforting scent. Chamomile and lavender are particularly relaxing.

* A radio, set to a relaxing station.

Bathroom

* A box of your fresh items.

* A bottle of water.

Kitchen

* A bottle of water in the fridge.

* Some ice in the freezer.

Corridor

* A bottle of water.

* Enough cash for a long cab journey home. If you're ever out and about and you need to get a cab home but you don't have enough money on you, it's nice to know that you can pop in when you arrive and just grab some. It's better than being anxious, wondering how you'll get home. You might also want to make sure you always have plenty of cash in the bank, for the same reason.

* A bumbag / fanny pack (I'll explain this shortly).

What's the reason for all this? To give yourself the best chance of being able to calm down if you ever feel anxious at home. Just knowing that these things are in place can be enough to make a difference. If you can think of other similar things to add, go for it.

And don't worry about other people thinking this is weird. I mean, what's there to even notice? Nothing much, really. And if you have visitors, you'll have what you need wherever you are without running around nervously. You can have a sip of water or a mint almost instantly, or pop into your bedroom and turn on the fan and radio. Instant change of mood.

Have the following items permanently in your pocket or jacket:

* A pen and a piece of paper with your name, address and phone number on it. And another for writing stuff down or doodling to keep your mind busy. Better still, a small notebook for both purposes.

* One more piece of paper for you to write down some helpful affirmations (or use a notebook).

If you find yourself in a situation where you need assistance, but you're so anxious that it's hard to talk, this will serve as a real lifeline. For example, if you need to quickly get a cab home, just showing your details will make it obvious what you need.

* Your wallet, with more than enough cash to get you home if you need to do so quickly. If you want more peace of mind, put in $100 / £100 if that's what it takes.

* Something to read. It should be easy to carry, i.e. a small book or reading device.

* A bag of your fresh items.

If you're one of those people who feels the need to keep checking to make sure that you have everything, then get it all out of your system and check it 10 or 20 times, or until you get sick of checking. Then forget about it.

In the US they're known as fanny packs. In the UK they're known as bumbags. Whatever you want to call it, it's a small pouch with a zip and a strap that goes round your waist. Get one, and put these items in it:

* A bag of your fresh items. I know we've already got them in our jacket / pocket, but we want peace of mind, and assurance that we have what we need at all times no matter what.

* A hand held fan (don't forget batteries).

* A small book.

* Some cash.

Keep it in an easily visible spot in your corridor, so you'll remember to grab it on your way out if you feel you need it. Taking it with you when you're out and about will give you almost the same sense of security as being at home (if you tell yourself this enough times). You may want to take it if it's too hot for a jacket (which will already have most of the same things in it).

By the way, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. No one's going to think you look weird so don't worry about it. A bumbag / fanny pack isn't an unusual sight. Besides, you can easily conceal it. This is a great way to take everything you need without drawing attention to yourself.

Just so you know, for the rest of the book I'll refer to it as a bumbag.