My mother was a worrier, and having eight children she had many late nights waiting up for one of us to return home.  Her anxiety wasn’t any different then most parents. Her primary concern was the health and welfare of her kids. 

She had at times some physical signs of a worrier an upset stomach or trouble sleeping. She learned some coping skills to help her.  

She loved to take walks. She would bundle up her slight 98 lbs and go for a stroll to clear her head.

She was an avid reader and would pour through books and always have a stack by her bed.  When one of us would try  to sneak in the house past a curfew she would have have one spayed open on her chest on the living room couch waiting for our return.

The other thing that helped her tremendously was prayer.  She and my dad were very active in our local Catholic church. My mom would often rise early and walked to 7am mass and would be home before we woke.  

I was recently discussing coping tools with a patient and we both reported similar mother models and got to talking about the ritual of prayer and the rosery.  My mom would use her rosery beads often.  She often would tell us to pray if we were troubled or needed guidance.  She turned to the ritual of the rosery she said because it helped her connect with her God and it provided her with peace of mind. 

There are many studies on the power of prayer for healing and for its meditative effects.  Having some tool to help us ground ourselves is key.  Prayer/meditation is a great tool. 

My mom’s had other ways to cope with stress or her worry.  She had some close friends that she would have time with. She never drank and didn’t find solace in eating.

When I think about it she provided me with a great model of coping.

Get outside- be in nature.

Spend time with good friends

Have some activity you really enjoy

and pray.