Here are three more tips for coping with anxiety from psychologists Matthew McKay and Jeffrey C. Wood. (1) Observe your thoughts: set your timer for five minutes and visualize your thoughts coming and going, one by one. Imagine your thoughts drifting away like clouds or floating by you in a stream. Try not to get attached to them or to judge them. (2) Ask your wise mind: put your hand on the center of your stomach below your rib cage. Focus on a question or decision that you need to make and ask your wise self for guidance. (3) Problem solve: start by brainstorming alternative thoughts, behaviors and solutions for the problem you’re facing. Evaluate your list and choose the best ideas, then pick a time and place to try one of them.

Here are four more tips for coping with anxiety from psychologists Matthew McKay and Jeffrey C. Wood. (1) Soothe yourself with sound: identify the sounds that help you to feel relaxed and calm. These might include songs, sounds of nature, white noise or a loved one’s voice. (2) Reconnect to your values: list your most vital values then list the specific actions that move you toward fulfilling them. Commit to taking one of these actions this week. (3) Use supportive coping thoughts: the way we talk to ourselves affect how we handle situations. Pay attention to your self-talk! (4) Practice band-of-light meditation: sit quietly, and imagine a narrow band of white light moving down your body. As it moves, pay attention to the sensations in each body part that pass below the band. Try not to judge these sensations, just observe them. Looking for more ideas? We’ll cover the last three next week.

Whether it has been a hard day at the office, a fight with a friend or a stressful transition, caring for yourself means being able to utilize healthy tools and techniques, writes Margarita Tartakovsky in a recent issue of PsychCentral. Among her go-to tools are 10 coping strategies identified by psychologists Matthew McKay and Jeffrey C. Wood. Here are the first three: (1) State how you feel. This might seem obvious, but many of us don’t name our feelings. Saying how you’re feeling in the moment (and out loud) validates your emotion and validates you. (2) Engage in a pleasurable activity. List the activities you enjoy doing (and used to enjoy doing). Do one each day for the next week. Actually put it on your calendar, and be specific about “what, where, when, and how.” (3) Soothe yourself with scents. List the scents that smell good to you and that relax you. These might include candles, herbs, flowers, perfumes, colognes, essential oils or food. And try to keep some scents with you when you’re not at home for an on-the-go boost. Look for more tips next week!

Tchiki Davis, author of “Outsmart Your Smartphone Technology,” writes that our smartphones and other devices have given us access to “near-infinite amounts of information, tools to help us increase productivity, and even ways to socialize,” but questions whether they have they made us happier. While the answer to that question is complicated, she suggests four tips for building happiness in the digital age: (1) stay in the present moment, (2) make meaningful connections, (3) learn how to manage emotions without your phone, and (4) be authentic both on- and offline. Read more about her tips.

Margaret Robinson Rutherford, clinical psychologist and author of the book “Perfectly Hidden Depression,” writes in a recent blog about clients who are not melancholy, agitated, or even sad, but are highly engaged with life and very successful though they are struggling. This “hidden” depression, she says, exists far beneath the surface and can be overlooked for two reasons: the individual does not “fit” the expected criteria for depression or the need to look perfect gets in the way of confiding in others, including a therapist. Depression, she writes, can wear many faces, even perfect-looking ones. Check out this questionnaire to see where you might fall on the spectrum of perfectly hidden depression.

Keep some motivational chocolate in your office for those days when everyone seems stressed. Several chocolate brands have motivational messages on or inside the wrapper. “You rock,” “way to go” or “you slay” may be just what someone needs to hear. And they may find encouragement for a more positive attitude with messages such as “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” Having a treat at your desk also will encourage coworkers to get out of their chair, walk around a bit and take a short break — all good ways to deal with a stressful day. How you feel affects your health and work performance. So grab some chocolate (in moderation!) and feel empowered.

What is it about forgiveness and understanding that is so hard to do for ourselves? Attorneys are known for being task masters and critical of themselves and others. On the one hand, it makes us good at what we do but on the other hand it can be self-destructive. Sometimes things don’t work out as well as we would like or don’t work out at all. If you have done your best, knowing that your best changes from day to day and situation to situation, then think about giving yourself some grace. How does that work? It can be as simple as saying to yourself, “I give you grace.” Or it can be slowing down to do something relaxing if you have been running at full speed. Or it can be giving yourself permission not to load the dishwasher when you are exhausted. Basically, it’s cutting yourself some slack.

For many people, including lawyers, the holiday season is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness and anxiety. It is a season that comes with concerns about time pressures, family issues, financial worries or memories of past holidays, according to Joseph L. Shea, Jr., past president of Louisiana Bar Association. If you are experiencing the holiday blues, you are not alone! Here are some tips for getting through this season: watch your alcohol consumption, don’t binge on food, move your body, mind your thoughts, practice self-care, be gentle with yourself and others, and seek help if needed. Read more about each of these tips and get other resources in this article from the Anxious Lawyer.

The TBA recently released the second installment of its HealthyBar podcast. The new episode focuses on the origins and practice of yoga and is, as usual, hosted by Nashville attorney Joanna McCracken of Piper McCracken. The HealthyBar podcast is a bi-monthly program focused on attorney well-being, offering best practices and tips to keep you healthy. It is one feature of the TBA’s Podcast network lineup, which also includes the monthly SideBar and BarBuzz programs, and coming soon, a new show from the TBA Young Lawyers Division. All shows are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn and the TBA's website. Simply search for the show title or "Tennessee Bar Association" wherever you listen to podcasts.

We are surrounded by bad news and negativity but we all can do small things to brighten the day for ourselves and others. Practice thanking people for the day-to-day things in life. At home, put a note inside your kid’s or spouse’s lunchbox. It can be a smiley face, a simple note saying “have a great day” or a picture of a puppy -- whatever might make them smile. At work, compliment a co-worker on a job well done or initiative taken. Being grateful and offering positive comments lifts the spirit and mood of both the giver and receiver. But be sure you are genuine; people can see through phony.