Coping skills against stress and anxiety

      As soon as i started 6th grade, I had bad anxiety that was always weighing me down. In high school, (or life in general), everyone has stress at one point or another. I thought this blog is a good space to share my life and hardships, because no one is alone and its always good to get reassurance and tips from people in the same boat. Here are some things i use to cope with anxiety and stress.
       Taking time for yourself is important to relax yourself. I'm talking little things throughout the day that can make a big change. For example, going outside for a long walk, admiring everything around you, and just taking time to breathe, will make you appreciate the life you have. One of my favorite things to do is lighting candles, playing music on the softer side, and writing. Whatever works for you, maybe thats reading, sketching or even just laying there. There is a lot of beautiful things in life, there is more to watching netflix 8 hours a night. (I get it though, I'm totally guilty.) 
          This is something some of us cringe at, but trust me when i say it helps a ton. Physical exercise produces more "feel good' hormones in the brain, called endorphins. Zoning out while exercise helps you calm down after a long, stressful day. Not to mention exercising helps you sleep at night. Not getting enough sleep can make it even more stressful for you the next day. Setting goals and having a sense of achievement can also help apply those skills to other areas of our life, like school. You don't have to run miles or work out excessively to see results. Things like going to yoga or going for a run around the block are great. 
            Changing your mindset is key when it comes to this. I know we don't completely have control over our anxiety and stress, but looking at the glass half full instead of empty changes the game. Most people don't enjoy school, but telling yourself today will be a good day instead of repeating to yourself that today is going to be awful, school is going to suck, I'm going to fail, etc, you can't really expect yourself to have a good day. You have to be able to turn those thoughts around and take control of your day. Set yourself up for a good day and success. Its mind over matter. Don't sike yourself out. 
            There are endless coping skills, but the last one I'm going to share is productivity. This one is pretty obvious, but i thought i should mention it because i struggle with this sometimes as well.        Procrastinating doesn't solve anything, it makes it worse. Do what needs to be done, then it will leave time for you to do whatever you want. I'm the kind of person to get home after a long day of school, and watch netflix for hours or fall asleep and do my homework late at night with a ton of stress, ending up going to sleep very very late, getting little sleep, then the next day I'm tired and it leaves me with a negative mindset. Getting things done relives stress and gives you a feeling of accomplishment. 
             Overall, don't take life too seriously. Remind yourself it isn't as big as it seems in that moment. Taking care of your mind and soul is a must. Laugh at mistakes, its a wonderful life. Do your best, but that one test doesn't define your future or you. High school is definitely a high point when it comes to anxiety, but little things like these tips go a long way!