Give me your best tips on how to chill the fuck out.

[PassTheSaltCarol]

I’ve been anxious my whole life. I want to stop. I find mindfulness utterly boring and can’t stick with it.

Have you lot any marvellous tips?

Do some excercise. It helps me.

Running. Or long walks if you don't want to run.

Total life changer.

I'm skeptical about mindfulness and meditation too but breathing techniques do help relax me when I feel anxiety and panic creeping in. Long breath in, hold then long breath out. If it helps you can count the seconds.

Self care is another wanky statement but there's a lot to be said for looking after yourself, exercising, eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep.

Can’t run (shit knees) but dh and I do go out for walks when we can (will do today - weather looks good compared to the foulness of yesterday!)

nihilism

I’m getting better at sleep, eating is generally ok. Exercise is where I fall down. Because I hate it. Really hate it. Walking is the only one I don’t hate!

Have you had CBT or counselling for it? It's really helped me.
Practically things I do are crochet + cycling + Pilates when I can.
The thing I find with my anxiety is that all my focus is on things I can't control and the only way I can feel a bit better is to focus on looking after myself.

Swimming or cycling, followed by Pinot Grigio and Scrabble on a tablet.

Yoga. Perhaps not the sitting still meditation type for you! If you’re busy thinking about what your body should be doing then you won’t get bored! Look at Yoga with Adriene on You Tube 👍🏻

Running for sure! C25K if you’re a beginner.

Walking is great. Where do you walk?
Walking in nature helps. You can also practice mindfulness there. Look at the nature around you, notice the different types of trees and plants, listen to the noises around you. Touch things as you go along and ‘feel’ the air around you and so on.
It can really help to ground and soothe.

LOATHE swimming by the way, but focussing on the loathing saves me thinking of something else. You will start to enjoy exercise more of you start to do it. Being fitter may help you feel better about yourself as well.

I've suffered anxiety all my life, genuinely. From first conscious memories I was always worried about something (early years, burglars, fires etc, latterly, health anxiety).

Medication obviously has helped, as has therapy.

Things like time and space to do absolutely nothing helps me. I'm a full time, stay at home mum, so one day a week (when ex has my DS) I crochet, watch rubbish on television, go for a walk, have a bath, read, use Pinterest, play mobile games, colour with adult colouring books, buy myself a nice lunch and a coffee. I adore those days as the rest of the time it's balls to the walls type gig.

When I'm feeling super anxious I often distract by scrabble, or something mindless on TV that I've watched hundreds of times that has fond memories.

It's horrible, and I hate being like this - but I've only ever known it, so I've become reasonably adept at counteracting it.

I'm a mindfulness convert. I've always found it rather wanky, and pretty pointless. I've recently been taught that you can do anything mindfully- it doesn't have to be quiet meditation. It's been a game changer for me in controlling my racing thoughts.
Research DBT mindfulness.

Re. exercise the type of exercise matters. You need to do heavy work. Proprioceptive input. Weights, balancing exercises. There is an amazing book called Too Fast Too Slow Too Loud (something like that) that another MN'er recommended.

This kind of exercise stimulation is like a massage for the brain! It really helps and I am way more anxious when I don't get enough varied sensory input.

I reckon even something like making bread, where you have to physically knead the dough, would help (plus the smell of freshly baked bread - winner!)

Just a thought as you said mindfulness was dull for you :)

I know people are very keen to say excersise and I understand why, but the most important thing for me is finding something that I like doing. Something that gives me pleasure in some small way. If excersise only gave you negative feelings then you might not do it enough for it to have any positive effect.
What things do you like doing that you wish you had time to do? Whatever it is make it a priority, an investment in your mental health. However wanky it sounds it really is true.

Long walks in nature much prefer to do this alone, NOT with DH. Music, cooking, reading, colouring, deep breathing, thinking of all the things I'm thankful for.

Crafting - I find I can only really concentrate on the craft I'm doing so it acts like practical mindfulness in that sense.

I did yoga for the first time today and liked it - haven't enjoyed it elsewhere but this was very informal with a lovely guided meditation at the end while you were wrapped in a blanket. Also in a size 22 so not exactly your average yoga bunny.

Reading I find helps as again, I can't read and think about other shit at the same time.

I am currently in bed under the duvet with a nice candle on, a dim-ish light and about to read for an hour.

I find literally getting perspective on things helps. I watch insects going about their daily business and think: that;s all we all are, really. Just creatures potteirng around on earth until our motors run out. It doesn;t matter what we do, not really. It's a good idea to try our best and to have fun and to feel productive but really, none of it actually matters. The world will keep turning, however I behave. Who I am in the world is such a tiny insignificant part of it.
I find that thought comforting. It sort of lets you off the hook.

I am also learning a musical instrument, it is completely absorbing, no room for any other thoughts at all.

Yoga. I found it life-changing.

Gardening is my outlet for taking my mind off things - I've only a small space mind you. I go on Pinterest to look at small garden ideas which I then try to bring into my space. I just like pottering about in my own "garden world".

Things that have helped me and friends who are anxious:
Exercise. Find something that gets you a bit out of breath. Do you really hate it more than the anxiety?
Diet: eat low GI stuff. Ive seen this hugely help people.
Labelling: when an anxious thought comes notice it, label it (as work/family/whatever you like) and acknowledge it as that. When the thought comes back repeat the labelling without getting frustrated that it returned.
Some form of stress reducing therapy (acupuncture/massage/reflexology)

I think you need to find what works for you. As others have said exercise is good. Running is great, but only if you enjoy it. I've tried, and I just get anxious that I'm so rubbish at it when everyone else seems to succeed and find it life transforming. So walking works for me. I particularly like it early in the morning or evening when they are fewer people around. I also enjoy swimming - it's boring but it's nice to just focus on counting the lengths.

My brain doesn't stop racing enough to meditate but I enjoy the physical aspects of yoga.

The thing that makes the biggest difference to me is enough sleep, drinking lots of water and trying not to drink too much alcohol. I love a glass or more of wine so am trying to cut down and have alcohol free days.

Staying off screens and social media - I try to leave my iPad and phone upstairs during the evening so that I focus on one thing like reading a book or watching a tv programme otherwise I'm constantly distracted. I think it tires my brain.

I don't watch or listen to news bulletins before I go to bed.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone - great ideas.
I wish less of them were exercise though