Shannon: How to Cope with Anxiety

The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has unfortunately impacted our lives negatively. We are having to take measures that would have sounded unbelievable last year or even a few months back. However, we are now living in a time where we must distance ourselves from people, wear face masks, restrict and limit who we surround ourselves with, and must now adjust to a new normal.

For many of us students, like myself, we have had to settle with distant learning. As a nursing student this is far from ideal. My clinicals have been cancelled due to the pandemic, and therefore I have had to settle with it. However, I will use this time to look forward to clinicals in the future and study even harder for the courses I am taking right now. All the negativity aside, I have been taking this opportunity to learn more about myself. I have had more time to read books that inspire me to broaden my outlook on life. It has also taught me to learn how to cope with things such as anxiety.

Living through a pandemic and being in school has heightened my anxiety and therefore, I have taken this opportunity to learn how to cope with it. I have learned the benefits of box breathing, where you inhale for 4 counts, hold in your breath for another 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for another 4 counts, and repeat. To add more positivity during these trying times, I have begun journaling. Journaling has given me the opportunity to self-reflect and keep me accountable. Rather than focusing on the negativity, which is very easy to do, journaling has allowed me to focus on the positive aspects of my day.

From what I have learned, having a positive outlook and keeping up a positive attitude not only allows us to have peace of mind but it has been known to increase our life span, lower the rates of depression, better our psychological and physical well being, and better our cardiovascular health (The Mayo Clinic, 2020). So let us take the time to learn more about ourselves, to live a more positive life and be an example to those who are struggling to stay a float.