Anxiety is a regular and predictable part of life; however, if you suffer from an anxiety disorder, your anxiety can quickly take over your life. The good news is that there are small steps that you can take to help manage and minimize your anxiety. Here are some small steps that you can take today to help you better manage and hopefully overcome your anxiety.

Take a Deep Breath

Breathing deeply through your diaphragm triggers your relaxation response and helps you to switch from the fight-or-flight response to a more relaxed and balanced state of being. Inhaling slowly to the count of four and holding your breath for a count of four, before slowly exhaling to a count of four can significantly increase your state of relaxation and calm your anxiety symptoms.

Get Physical

One of the most critical things you can do to cope with your anxiety is to participate in a regular cardiovascular exercise. If you're not in the habit of exercising, you can start by taking a walk. Take some time and create a list of physical activities that you enjoy and place them on your weekly schedule.

Get Enough Sleep

When you don't get enough sleep, it can trigger your anxiety. If you find sleeping a nightly challenge, try engaging in a relaxing activity right before you go to bed. If your brain starts to buzz right before you go to bed, try jotting down your worries for 10 to 15 minutes, earlier in your day.

Say an Encouraging Affirmation

Reciting positive, accurate statements to yourself can help you put things in perspective. You can try telling yourself that “anxiety is just a feeling, like any other feeling,” to help you gain perspective over your anxiety symptoms.

Avoid Caffeine

Managing your anxiety is as much about the things that you do as it is about the things that you don't do. There are some substances, like caffeine, that can significantly exacerbate symptoms of anxiety. The last thing you need to do, if you suffer from anxiety, is drink a substance that makes you feel more excited.

Take a Break

Building breaks into your daily schedule can be beneficial. Breaking from concerted effort can be incredibly refreshing. A simple change of scenery or pace or switching to a different task can be constructive.

Anxiety can be incredibly overwhelming and can make you feel as if you are being weighed down. Taking these small steps can help to minimize your anxiety symptoms and help you effectively cope.