7 Tips for Managing End of the Year Anxiety
When the year is ending and people start to share their Spotify Wrapped, you may reflect and appreciate what went well. It's nice to notice and be proud of what you've been able to do.
However, if you can't come up with such a list, you may start assessing everything that didn't go according to plan and feel anxious. While this end-of-year anxiety is totally understandable, you deserve appreciation for any and all wins and what you've been through to get there.
There could be many ways to manage end-of-year anxiety, but here are some suggestions to help you get started:
Identify your anxiety symptoms
You may feel anxiety both mentally and physically. Some symptoms may be:
sweating
shaking
irritability
feeling sick
restlessness
heart palpitations
muscle tension
racing thoughts
difficulty concentrating
inability to sleep
Knowing how anxiety shows up for you may help you more quickly understand what’s happening and then will be better able to handle it.
For example, the next time you see your hands sweaty and recognize it as anxiety, you may do a quick stress relief exercise like deep breathing. Maybe it's hugging a furry pet, scheduling worry time (yep, make time for it!), or 5 minutes of guided imagery/visualization too.
Find your triggers
Exploring possible triggers may be effective in the long run. If you're not sure why you're feeling anxious, try noticing what's happening around you and in your mind.
Was it when you read the news of a wildly successful college grad? Or did you start feeling sick when you passed by a couple arguing?
Identifying triggers might get complex and take time, so working with a therapist may help. If you know what your triggers are, you may be able to avoid or learn to cope with them more quickly
Look out for self-sabotage
If you find yourself thinking in absolutes like "I'm doomed, my GPA was so bad" or "Everyone hates me because I forgot to order the pizza on time," try to reframe them into what's more likely.
Your GPA may be lower than expected, but you can still have a successful career ahead. Your friends may grumble about waiting longer for pizza, but hating you for it is unlikely.
Try to be kind to yourself. If you wouldn't say your inner thoughts to a loved one, you may not want to say it to yourself either.
Go slow and focus on what you can control
Transitions aren't simple, and going back to your usual routine after a roller-coaster holiday season may be tricky. Try to be patient with your body and mind, allowing it to readjust slowly.
Focusing on what you can control might just help a great deal. For example, getting a promotion may be outside of your control. However, you can put in your best work and navigate the conversation towards it. Likewise, you may not have control over the traffic, but you can leave a little early if you're heading out during the rush hour.
Reflect on what went well
It's easy to slip into feeling anxious about everything that didn't happen. However, a little intentional effort to be grateful for the good parts can go a long way.
Could you finally start going to bed earlier this year? Did you discover a wholesome YouTube channel that always makes you smile when you're down? Were you able to set better boundaries? Maybe you finally stopped biting your nails? Or perhaps you regularly mowed the front lawn this year. These can all be acknowledged as wins!
Cut out the comparisons
Your wins may look different from what others share, and that's completely okay.
A good reminder to yourself is that people usually share only the best parts of their life. It's easy to look at romanticized versions of others’ success and compare it with your lowest moments.
However, it’s totally okay even if you feel like you didn’t do enough this year. Growth—for you and everyone else—isn't always the same.
Learn something new
Picking up a new book, reading articles, or listening to podcasts may help. For example, you may learn more about anxiety and ways to manage it. You could also discover steps to achieve your goals or listen to other people's stories that inspire you to get things done.
What works for someone may not work for others. You may want to figure out what helps and find your go-to ways to manage anxiety.
