This owl hung out in our tree for a week.

I had a panic attack last week. It was while driving home from the eye doctor with my husband. He had his eyes dilated so I was the driver. It’s a road I take several times a week. Nothing out of the ordinary.

But then I turned left too soon and found myself in a construction zone with cars rushing around me. I struggled to get back on the road and my husband told me when to go. I couldn’t see. It was a blind rush back into traffic.

After that, I tried to calm my breathing. My hands were shaking and sweaty. I don’t like the drivers in Arizona. They are way worse than California drivers. I ended up pulling off into a parking lot and taking a moment to collect myself.

When I tried driving, I panicked again. I haven’t had a panic attack in at least five or six years. I only have them while driving. I felt so bad about myself. My husband, thankfully, was very supportive and told me I was doing a great job. But I still had a low opinion of myself.

Then I saw an article on well-being called, “How to Calm an Anxious Mind” by Gregory Jantz, Ph.D., founder and director of the mental health clinic The Center: A Place of Hope in Edmonds, Wash.

He gave a list of strategies to regain peace:

Intentionally limit information intake

Choose to be thankful

Go against the frantic flow

Stop procrastinating

Set aside time for stillness and silence

Make a small change to alleviate big stress

Steer clear of negative people

Take a nap

Unplug for awhile

Write in a journal or notebook

Retrain your brain with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Stay connected to friends and family

Maintain activities that replenish you

Express yourself creatively

I like this list and there are a few areas I excel at and other I need to work on.

Do you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks?

From the list, what can you improve on?