Anxiety, Mindfulness, and Coping
Remember Your Deep Breath!
Breathe in through your nose and pause... and Blow out through your mouth
Coping Skills
Coping Skills are things we can do to make ourselves feel better when we are going through difficult times. The activities listed below are things you can do to help you feel better when you are upset.
Take Care of Yourself: Eat healthy food; sleep well; understand how you feel
Exercise: Go for a walk; Ride a Bike; Do Yoga
Do Things You Enjoy: Draw; Enjoy Nature; Laugh; Sing; Hang Out with Friends; Play a Game; Watch a Movie; Paint; Listen to Music; Make a Playlist; Make a List of Things You Like
Get Help: Talk to a Friend; Talk to a Trusted Adult
Change your thoughts by using different parts of your brain: Read; Write a Story or Poem; Set a Goal; Learn Something New; Journal
Keep a Positive Attitude: Make a list of things you like; Focus on what you can control; Say positive affirmations
Helping Other people can shift our focus and make us feel better: Perform a Random Act of Kindness
For Parents/Guardians:
Mind Yeti is a library of research-based guided mindfulness sessions that help kids and their adults calm their minds, focus their attention and connect to the world around them. They have put out a lot of free videos to listen to! Give it a try! :)
coping skills (2).pdfThings You can do when you're feeling anxious:
Focus your brain on another activity (read a book, play a computer game, do a puzzle, watch television)
Participate in a physical activity or sport
Use deep breathing exercises
Imagine yourself in a special place or peaceful place
Think positively using affirmations
Find something funny that will make you laugh
Write your worries in a journal
Make Your Own Calm Down Jar/Bottle! (video) or here
Breathing - Take 5 easy breathing activity.pdf100FreeCopingStrategies.pdfGrounding
Describe 5 things you see
Describe 4 things you feel
Describe 3 things you see
Describe 2 things you smell
Describe 1 thing you taste
My Anti-Worry Card
What am I worried or afraid about? ___________________________________________
How worried am I? 0 Not at all 1 A little bit 2 Worried 3 A lot!
What has happened when I worried about similar things in the past, and how does that help me get through my current worry? ______________________________________________________________________
What would I tell a good friend to do in a similar situation? _____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
What can I do to help myself not worry so much? _______________________________________
Is this something that I should worry about? Yes No
Why? ________________________________________________________________________________
My Anxiety Plan
Remind Yourself: of all the things you are doing that might be causing your anxiety
Explain to an Adult: what you are feeling and what might be causing you to feel anxiety.
Lay out a plan: with your trusted adult, to help you take control of the situation.
Applaud yourself: whatever the outcome, because you are trying you will eventually succeed.
X-hale, inhale: breathe in slowly through your nose, pause, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat 2 to 4 times to RELAX.
Self-Talk for Hard Times
This feeling is uncomfortable, but it won't last forever.
It's okay if I don't feel okay.
I just need to take it one step at a time.
I can do hard things.