Ease Your Mind: 25 Proven Strategies to Beat Anxiety

In an era marked by global pandemics, political unrest, and an overload of information, it’s no surprise that many of us grapple with anxiety on a daily basis. The relentless news cycle, combined with the stress of everyday challenges, can lead to a frazzled nervous system, constantly on edge from the barrage of “what ifs” and worries that seem all too pressing.

Let’s address an important and all too common misconception: while staying informed is important, the constant stream of doom scrolling and negative news that’s shoved in our faces often contributes more to our anxiety than our understanding. I don’t know about you, but after years of lockdowns, mandates, fear, paranoia, general concern for the entire planet and health and future alike, I’ve become exhausted just thinking about it. And idk, but it started to feel like like my burnout had burnout.

I finally decided I was tired of feeling so stressed and overstimulated. I began to compile and practice simple, manageable strategies that genuinely alleviated my anxiety. These aren’t quick fixes but rather habits that with a bit of discipline, significantly enhance well-being. I suggest giving yourself about 30 days to truly feel the effects—start with one or two strategies from the list and build from there. In 2024, let’s shift our focus from consuming less content that drains us, and more activities that uplift us…and more things that make us FEEL GOOD! Here are the most transformative practices I’ve embraced to foster better mental and emotional health, and invite tranquility into my life…

*Details on my favorite products and resources can be found at the end of this article

PRIORITIZE LIGHT — Energy from the sun is revitalizing, healing and can change how you feel in a matter of seconds. Even if it’s not sunny out, spend a few minutes outside and you’ll still benefit from the healing benefits the sun can have on our health. I truly believe you need the light from the sun to heal.

Hot tip: get natural light into your eyes first thing in the morning to improve your bodies natural melatonin production and circadian rhythm.
MAGNESIUM — Magnesium affects 3,700 enzymatic functions in the body, while also playing a crucial role in multiple aspects of our health, such as heart health, bone health, metabolic health, sleep health and stress management. Many people are deficient in magnesium, and it’s actually been estimated that roughly 50%~ of adults in the US are deficient in magnesium.

Hot tip: Not all magnesiums are created equal! My favorites are magnesium glycinate, theronate, malate and magnesium bicarbonate.
UP YOUR MINERALS — Better yet, do an HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis test) to figure out exactly what you’re low in. Minerals help maintain acid-base balance, to keep the body pH neutral, they regulate so many of our bodies processes, including nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction as well as well as help release energy from food.

Hot tip: Boron, Selenium, Potassium, Salt, Magnesium, Shilajit are some of my favorites that help my energy levels and mental health. I love making an adrenal cocktail, as it helps with energy and adrenal fatigue. Quinton vials are also great. If you’re wanting to get more minerals in, epsom salt baths can be great as well as mineral IVs!
INSTAZEN— A large majority of my days post flox have been overshadowed by stress and anxiety, making everything feel a hundred times more difficult. It is a Doctor formulated blend crafted to help soothe your nerves, clear your mind and enhance clarity. For me, taking an InstaZen is like a breath of fresh air for my mind, allowing me to approach each day with a clear head and a steady heart. It’s a reliable part of my routine that consistently supports my mental health. I love the clean ingredients: L-Theanine (mood-enhancing), DHH-B (boosts gaba), Safranal Extract (one of the most potent antioxidants), Valerian Root (reduces anxiety).
ACTIVATE YOUR SENSES — Sit and observe the sounds around you, relish in a wonderful meal and romanticize your life! I love essential oils for this. My favorites right now for ultimate peace are lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus and cedar wood. These are all interchangeable but cedar wood is specifically good for sleep.

Hot tip: I usually roll a bit on my wrists, collarbone and soles of my feet. You can mix them to whatever your liking but I like to enjoy them individually!
DAILY MOVEMENT — Increase oxygen and get the blood flowing. Some of my favorites are hiking, yoga, stretching, daily walks, weight lifting, exercising in the sun, and climbing. Find something that works for you and have at it!

Hot tip: If you are currently unable to move your body in this capacity, try diving into guided breathing meditations or light stretching.
MEDITATION AND BREATH WORK — Play some nice meditation music and say every single thing you are grateful for out loud. Sit still. Get quiet. Put the phone away. Intentional breathing / breath-work like 4/7/8 breathing is really effective. For assisted meditation I really like 741/174 hz frequencies, and guided meditations like Envol (find discount codes at the bottom of this article.)
STOP DRINKING CAFFEINE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH — This was a big one for me before I was floxed and still drank caffeine! Everyone is different and it’s important to do what works best for you, but every time I drank caffeine before breakfast, my anxiety would go through the roof, spiking my blood sugar and increasing my heart rate. Once I started consuming adequate amounts of quality protein in the morning (think pasture raised eggs, grass fed sausage or steak, colostrum, etc) I could tell that it made a huge difference on my nervous system. Try it out and let me know how it goes!
SHILAJIT — Know as “natures adderall”, Shilajit is a composite of thousands of years of high-pressurization of organic matter. Think of plants, organisms, microbial life, trace minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, and metabolites, all meshed into one resin that absorbs all of those nutrients from high pressure. I have been taking shilajit for a few years now and can tell a huge difference in how I feel, and how much it has helped me to heal my daily anxiety and brain fog. It is also a rich source of fulvic acid, a compound which increases delivery of the minerals into the cell, enhances the absorption of other compounds taken with it, and chelates and complexes inorganic minerals.
BE OF SERVICE TO OTHERS — Volunteer and help someone in need. It expands your perspective on life, fuels our purpose and can make you feel so good! You could volunteer at an animal shelter, a food bank, or get involved with shelters for women and kids. There are even organizations that organize homeless children with people to come together to learn how to play instruments and such. There are so many different ways to give back! Get creative, and ask yourself how can I best be in service to others?
CONSUME GRASS FED GELATIN GUMMIES — Homemade gummies provide the essential amino acid that is Glycine. Glycine acts as neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and it has many roles such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cryoprotective, and immunomodulatory in peripheral and nervous tissues. I generally like to meal prep these at the beginning of the week so I can have them available and consume a couple every single day because it can help to regulate blood sugar, increase energy, heal your metabolism and strengthen gut health.

Hot tip: Make my homemade gummies here!
PUT YOUR PHONE ON ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ — I know this one can be super difficult, but learning how to take time away from your phone while we’re living in the age of always being “on” can play a huge role in daily anxiety. Putting it in another room, leaving it on airplane mode or do not disturb is a game changer. Look at the “screen time” on your phone and start to be intentional with the time you spend on your phone and sit back as your happiness and calm demeanor starts to come back!
DO SOMETHING FOR FUN — When was the last time you just had fun? Rode your bike or laughed with a friend or painted a picture or sang a song or made cookies? Evaluate your hobbies — find something you can do just for the joy of doing it. Oftentimes as we get older we forget to smile, to laugh and have fun just because. I love the phrase “you are a human being, not a human doing.” I have found that when I just do something for fun and am in the space of just existing without trying to be “productive”, I feel a lot more relaxed. What did you love as a kid? Go back to that. 🙂
OPEN THE VAGUS NERVE — The vagus nerve helps you to remain calm when you are stressed and to know when you are no longer in danger. It helps you to “rest and digest.” There are many ways to open up the vagus nerve, including singing, humming, breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, cold exposure, ASMR, “OM” chanting, meditation, yoga and positive self talk. I also like lymphatic drainage massage, dry brushing and gua sha.

Hot tip: Dr. Perry Nickelston has fantastic explanations and exercises on how to support the vagus nerve and help lymphatic flow in the body.
GET OUT IN NATURE — Any activity in nature will do. Ground, yoga, hike, climb, swim! Even just finding a calm and quiet spot to sit down at that has a beautiful view can be revitalizing. Getting back to nature brings us back to our natural state, can calm adrenals and relieve stress.
MORNING ROUTINE — Creating some kind of personal self care routine to start your day with is really important. Our world is filled with constant stimuli and puts us in a state of pretty consistent reactive behavior. With a morning routine (you can create this easily by thinking of a few things that bring you peace in the morning.) What works for me is meditating, shower, skincare routine, read if I have the time, and hydrate. I do all of this before looking at my phone in the morning.
FIND A MENTOR — Someone who you admire, trust, and look up to in any area of life. The great thing about this is it doesn’t have to be in person — it can be someone online that you follow. I have three right now – Billionaire Ed Mylett, Elite Sports Coach Tim Grover and American Self Help Author Napoleon Hill. I consume their content/ podcasts/ books more than most all other people that I follow online. All of these people have achieved different levels of success that I aspire to, pick me up when I’m feeling down and help me stay focused in achieving my goals.
CONSCIOUSLY CONSUME — When you listen to inspiring, motivational material you set yourself up for success by filling your brain with positive, uplifting content! I bet you’d be shocked to look at your daily phone screen time use. I know I always cringe at the thought of how many hours a day I’m spending on my phone. Regardless of how many hours you’re on your phone scrolling, it catches up to you! You have to intentionally create the mental landscape you desire and that starts with taking an honest look at the things you’re filling your brain with, what you’re listening to and who’s IG or tiktok you’re scrolling. I recently did this on my social accounts and just unfollowed every account that no longer made me happy. I encourage you to do the same and go through the content you consume as well as your most used apps and ask yourself, “how does this make me feel?” Take note of who’s profiles, podcasts and content you feel uplifted by as well as if you feel self conscious or negative about yourself while listening or consuming any said piece of content. These are important cues to what we are filling our brains with and every little bit of this outside influence adds to either more positivity and security or more negativity and insecurity. Adjust accordingly and prioritize your peace!
EAT CONSISTENT MEALS WITH NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS — The first one is not getting enough food in the body can be a big contributor to stress, anxiety and lead to an off balance metabolism. When you deprive your body of nutrients, it starts to eat itself to conserve energy. Starving yourself in any capacity (looking at you intermittent fasting when done improperly) can be really detrimental to your hormones and can take a really, really long time to get them back on track, not to mention totally mess with your emotional health and how you *feel* about yourself and your life. Prioritize nutrient dense foods. Grass fed and pasture raised organic meats, organic pasture raised / raw dairy, organic grains, vegetables and fruits, home cooked meals with organic fats like coconut oil, butter, ghee, tallow and olive oil.

Hot tip: linking one of my favorite recipes for you here!
CHANGE YOUR LIGHTBULBS TO RED LIGHTBULBS — If you come to my house past sundown, I will likely have red lights on everywhere. Red lights can stimulate the secretion of melatonin, the hormone responsible for making us sleepy. It is thought that the red and near-infrared light photons penetrate through the skull and into brain cells and spur the mitochondria to produce more ATP.
TURN OFF THE NEWS — Delete the news app from your devices. You looking at the news literally isn’t going to do or change anything in your life except potentially increase your anxiety, and the minute you acknowledge this and step away from the headlines I guarantee not only your anxiety will start to fade but your happiness with increase tremendously. I get it, I used to check the news app all the time several times a day on my phone thinking I’d be informed or “in the know” about what was happening next. But once you realize it’s just headline after headline and how much it actually affects you consciously and subconsciously, you’ll realize you’re better off without it. It doesn’t mean that you should never look at headlines or watch things on the news, but being in control and deciding what you’re influencing your brain, heart, feelings and emotions with is not only looking out for your health, but gives you control over choosing what you fill your time with *if* you decide to pull it up!
CREATE GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE — Optimize your sleep and make the place you rest a place of peace. I like to keep a humidifier going, use some essential oils, have a stack of good books and use red lights after sundown. Other things that can be really nice are magnesium baths, keeping your phone in another room while you sleep, and blue light blocking glasses.
EVALUATE COMMUNITY — Who makes up your friend group? Who are you allowing in your space? Are the people in your life uplifting you, your habits, dreams and goals or are they energy vampires making you feel lethargic and depressed? This includes who you spend your time consuming and scrolling on social media. Audit your close circle — your IRL friends, as well as the podcasts, social accounts and shows you follow.

Hot tip: the people who really truly love you in your life will be the ones who hold space to love and witness a thousand deaths and rebirths of the person you are becoming. Remember that!
PRACTICE LIVING IN A STATE OF AWE — Keeping a curious state of mind and being keeps us open to the wonders and beauty life has to offer. When you’re constantly learning and growing, life feels special, magical, and hopeful. In what ways can you practice enjoying life more?
CELEBRATE YOUR LITTLE WINS — Expand your gratitude capacity and focus on your daily little wins. Did you get out of bed this morning? Eat some food? Did you breathe? Celebrate it! The smaller the win the better. Give yourself a pat on the back for everything you’ve done this week. Were you kind to yourself? Did you help someone in need? Did you give yourself some extra TLC? It deserves a celebration! Start bringing your attention to all of your little victories and watch your life transform for the better.