Healthy + happy = anxious?
I’ve never had the privilege of being more than passingly okay at math, but even I could tell you at first glance that equation seems off. Yet, even the most healthy, happy lifestyle can result in anxiety. Countless times I’ve shared with someone that I have anxiety and their response is always some sort of surprised, “But you seem so HAPPY!” It seems that when I am working most at my health and happiness my anxiety flares most. I happen to hide it very well, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
I am happy. Not in a linear sense of the word, but just like the scale during a weight loss journey, my happiness fluctuates as I go through life. I’ll admit, maybe I don’t have my own definition of happiness fully figured out yet. After all, happiness is defined simply as the state of being happy, and that can look different to everyone. What makes me happy, may not thrill the next person. And that happiness may vary depending on what my day, week, month, and year looks like. Here are examples of things that have brought me happiness in life:
- Curling up on the couch with a tantalizing fiction book and steamy chai tea latte
- Hiking to a waterfall with a group of people who keep me laughing
- Experiencing Disneyland rides and snacks with my daughter
- Relaxing with my boyfriend and binge watching a show
- Spending hours crafting without speaking with anyone
All of those things require different energy, focus, social interaction levels, wants and needs. Depending on where I am during the present, I can love or dislike doing any of those particular things. They do not bring me consistent, daily happiness. My anxiety can play a huge factor in this, because it changes my wants and needs quickly, depending on a situation. Even people without anxiety can understand the restless feeling we associate with unhappiness.
Are good health and happiness things people with anxiety are capable of achieving? Absolutely! We just have to work a bit harder at aspects of those things when our anxiety creeps in and sabotages us. It can be hard to get started, stay consistent, be diligent, and feel driven to pursue healthy and happy aspects of life. There’s no magic formula to finding balance while juggling healthy habits, things that make us happy, and anxiety, but here are a few great tips I’ve gathered that I’ll be implementing in my life and might also help you make that “equation” we talked about earlier work:
Get some fresh air – Enjoying 20 minutes a day of fresh air can improve your mental and physical self. If you work a job, take a walk before work, during your break, or after dinner. Even simply sitting outside unplugged and enjoying nature at a park or natural environment can give you a mental boost. If you have kids, you have playmates! Grab some chalk, your bike, or a ball to kick/throw around and make some memories together.
Eat more fruit and veggies – Can you incorporate fruit and veggies into each of your meals? I challenge you to try! Changing your diet doesn’t have to be intimidatingly hard and you can make some small changes right away. Make a list of all the fruits and veggies you enjoy and see how often you can incorporate them into your weekly meal plan. If you buy and have them on hand every time you open your refrigerator, you’ll be more likely to eat them.
Listen to music – This is a great way to reduce anxiety and increase positivity. In the morning, throw on some music that fits what you need for the day. Sometimes more upbeat music is necessary to get you moving when you are on a time crunch. Or, maybe you need to start the day relaxed and prefer something classical or softer. Create your playlists or save your favorite albums ahead of time in a music app so you don’t have to spend too much time searching for what to listen to.
Move your body – Yes, exercise is important, but at the very least you should be trying to move your body daily. If you work in a sedentary job, try to stand up, stretch, and take a quick stroll to refill your water bottle or shake off the desk dust. At minimum, try for 10 minutes of daily movement in the morning and again at night (20 minutes daily total) to start and go from there. Movement looks different to everyone, so if you’d rather dance than walk, throw on some music and shake a leg!
Prioritize sleep – It’s easy to lose sleep. Distractions, stress, work, fun, etc. can impact how much sleep we get. From experience, parents especially tend to sacrifice sleep to relax or enjoy their downtime after the kids are asleep. Turn off your phone, television, and devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Track your sleep if you can to get an idea of how much you actually rest. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep, but if you can’t hit that right away, it’s okay. Work your way up to that when you can.
See your doctors – How do you know what to work on if you haven’t had your annual checkup yet? I’m just as guilty as the next in putting off doctors appointments, but it’s important to know what is going on with your body. Schedule your annual checkups to have your body, eyes, teeth, skin, etc. checked. If you are not sure where to start, there are really helpful websites such as Zocdoc which can help you get started in finding a reputable doctor that is in your insurance network.
Those might seem like a lot of things to do, but start with one and work your way down the list. Pick the most important change or the easiest change and start implementing it in your daily life. As it becomes more effortless and a habit, you can add in the next change. Some changes can be made together! For example, you can listen to music while enjoying an outdoor walk for 10 minutes every morning. But, if that is too overwhelming, just start with one change and enjoy the pride and accomplishment that comes with boosting your health and happiness. I’ll leave you with this quote:
Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.
Roy Bennett
