Struggling with anxiety can feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
The burden of anxiety is heavy and brings many mental, emotional, and physical obstacles and challenges.
Over time, if not dealt with properly, anxiety can begin to wear us down in all areas of our lives.
The ramifications of not dealing with our anxiety healthily can make it much more difficult to change it later on. This is why we must focus on using anxiety as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
But how on earth do we accomplish this feat?
BABY STEPS WIN THE RACE
I’ve been struggling with anxiety most of my life and all of my adult life.
At times the anxiety was more than manageable. But most of the time, I struggled to overcome some emotion or state of being associated with anxiety. These emotions included shame, guilt, sadness, hopelessness, and even bouts of depression. These long-term emotional states are challenging to break because your body becomes addicted to the feeling, almost like an emotional drug.
To begin pulling yourself out of these long-term emotional states, you need to make healthy baby steps in the direction of a core foundation; sleep, nutrition, exercise, proper breathing, journaling, and many others.
The foundation will be different for each person since we are all good with some areas and not so good with others.
But once you begin building that healthier and more sustainable foundation, you can then start to break the bond to those fear-based and anxiety-ridden emotions. You will still experience the emotions, but they won’t last as long. And most importantly, they won’t have as much control over your life.
When you reach this point, you can start using the existing anxiety to your advantage.
USE IT AS MEASURING STICK FOR YOUR LIFE
Whenever I begin to have days that turn into weeks of heightened anxiety, I know there is something “off” with my lifestyle. I use anxiety as a measuring stick to illuminate, which areas of my life aren’t working for me any longer. If I cannot get past anxiety about some part of my life, I dig deeper into that area and find out what is causing heightened anxiety and what I can do to manage it better.
I recommend doing the following when you notice that your anxiety is getting worse:
- Take a piece of paper and pen and write down the thoughts and emotions associated with the anxiety.
- Review each thought and emotion you write down and focus on making the appropriate changes to manage those areas better.
- Put your plan of action into practice.
USE IT TO CREATE HEALTHIER HABITS
Per the steps I wrote above, this is the next logical step in using your anxiety to your advantage. Take a moment to reflect on what you wrote down above, and then review your life habits that need to be changed to accomplish your goal of better managing the heightened anxiety.
Habit formation is a topic I cover throughout this blog since it is critical to managing and reducing anxiety. You will not be able to overcome your anxiety while maintaining an unhealthy set of habits. I liken it to an alcoholic trying to quit living next door to the most popular bar in town; it’s a recipe for failure.
Creating healthier habits gives you a much better chance at reducing your anxiety by setting you up with a solid foundation to fall back on when things get challenging.
Use your anxiety as a bridge to creating those healthier habits.
USE IT TO GAIN MORE FOCUS
Managing anxiety takes focus and a concerted effort.
Whether you are focusing on your breathing, thoughts, and emotions, or diet and exercise, managing and ultimately reducing anxiety take persistence. You cannot consistently lose focus and maintain a lower stress level. An increase in focus also reduces anxiety because when you are honed in a specific task or situation, your thoughts cannot wander to some future worry or past rumination.
Use your anxiety to create more focus in your life.
USE IT TO HELP OTHERS STRUGGLING
One of the most beautiful gifts struggling with anxiety, or any mental health issue, can give us is the ability to understand what others are experiencing.
You can use your struggles with anxiety as a springboard to help others who are also struggling. I started Upplifter to help others, and by doing so, I have also enhanced my anti-anxiety skills and knowledge base.
Using your anxiety to help others is honorable and an ideal way to connect with others who understand your plight.
IN REVIEW
Anxiety is often deemed as a “bad” thing and something that everyone wants to avoid. But over time, you can use anxiety to your advantage and make a difference in your life as well as other people’s lives.
Try thinking of your anxiety as a life review – what areas are you struggling with the most? What areas of your health need attention? Is your foundation solid? What are your habits?
These questions and the tips above can help you beneficially use anxiety.
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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