20 THINGS YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU ARE FEELING NERVOUS OR WORRIED

These are things you can try at home by yourself, at school, at a party or on a crowded bus. Try them. They actually work!

• Count backwards from 100 by 3’s (100, 97, 94…..)
• Go for a brisk walk around the block
• Take a bath or a warm shower
• Work out
• Play basketball
• Listen to your favourite music
• Read a book
• Repeat the words of a poem or song
• Draw
• Doodle
• Watch a movie
• Sort your sock drawer
• Think positive
• Describe in detail all the things you see around you. Notice color, size, shape, texture and position
• Tell yourself that you can’t be tense and relaxed at the same time: Consciously tense and relax specific parts of your body
• Play simple word games such as spelling words backwards or counting the number of letters in a word
• Imagine yourself as a rag doll and let your muscles go loose and limp
• Avoid substances and alcohol when you are stressed out
• Make a list of things to do that you’ve already done
• Try some new ways of ‘grounding’ yourself and become more aware of the present:
            Look around the room and notice the colors, the people, and the shapes of things.
            Listen to the sounds around you, the traffic, birds etc.
            Feel your body, the boundary of your skin, your clothes, the chair or floor supporting you. 

Got more ways to cope? Add them below...