Donsgo,
Thank you so much for posting here, welcome. Unrelenting anxiety also plagues my life, often without a visible trigger.
Exercise is great, and it works for me too. But you're right, motivation is difficult. I'm not sure where I heard this, I think I might've been studying for my Year 12 exams and stumbled across a video where they said "action comes before motivation". Often, it's about forcing ourselves to just DO something, rather than waiting for motivation, which will come after we're immersed in the activity itself. Albeit, that's a lot harder to do than it sounds.
I also heard this tip somewhere, which can be quite a useful temporary solution if you're suddenly feeling panicked or anxious. If you place your left hand just below your right shoulder and your right hand just below your left shoulder then stroke your arms, it offers some temporary relief. It's also a good subtle trick for when you're not feeling motivated to do something big.
My anxiety tends to also manifest into tendencies with my hands, where I'll pick things or crack my knuckles. Fidget toys can be great for this, or even playing with a pen or small object. It helps to distract yourself. I get quite anxious before blood tests or vaccines, and keeping my hands occupied helps me get out all that nervous energy.
Journalling is another great technique, and one of my personal favourites. Write about your experiences with anxiety, or how your day has been, or something entirely unrelated. Journalling doesn't have to be writing either - drawing or doodling may also help.
What are your interests, if I may ask? Do you enjoy creative things, or are you particularly into exercise, or perhaps socialising? Engaging in things that you enjoy can also help ease anxiety.
Hopefully this helps a little, please feel free to chat some more if you'd like!
Take care, SB
