Worrying All the Time? Action Cures Anxiety

Taking just one small action will reduce your anxiety and diminish your feelings of overwhelm.

Anxiety is rooted in a feeling of lack of control. If something important to us is beyond our control, even just a little, it activates anxiety. And this is good.

Wait, what? Yes, you heard me right. Anxiety is good.

But anxiety is bad, you say. I should avoid it, burn incense, meditate, shoo away my worries. I don't want to feel bad.

Don't get me wrong, ongoing anxiety left unaddressed is very bad for you. I'm talking about when you first get those anxious feelings. Don't avoid them. Avoidance trains you to see anxiety as some horrible, unbearable thing that you can't handle.

You can handle it. Instead of avoiding the anxiety, lean in and ask, "what action can I take, however small, right now, to gain at least some control over the thing that is making me anxious."

Taking Control of Your Anxiety

Got a deadline at work? Need to have a difficult conversation with a friend? Whatever it is, I guarantee you there is one small step you can take to address it.

Take the example of having a difficult conversation. We've all been there. Maybe it's a coworker, a friend, a family member. The idea of reaching out to them sends a wave of anxiety through you. So instead of taking action, you do nothing. But the anxiety doesn't go away, it nags at you, it festers, becomes toxic.

You don't have to have that difficult conversation right now , but you can take a STEP in the right direction. You can send a "vent email" to yourself about how angry you are at the person you need to talk to. That's a step. Once you do that, you'll have put your thoughts into words and perhaps gotten some perspective.

Next step could be sending the person a text: "thinking about you. Would be good to talk soon." You might not a get a response. Doesn't matter. You are taking action.

Anxiety is Trapped Energy

So, Instead of dreading anxiety, think of it as your body's call to action, your "fight, flight, or freeze" mechanism. Anxiety is literally a primal call to action (yes, freezing is an action).

Anxiety is also a form of energy. If trapped in the body, it literally becomes toxic. You need to release this energy by immediately taking a positive action. Not sure what to do? Start by moving your body. Stand up. Change your posture.

Now think: what's one small action you can take that will address your worry? Identify the action, and do it. Doesn't matter how small, doesn't matter if you haven't solved the problem. Action releases the anxiety energy and you feel better.

But what about big problems? How do you not feel anxious about losing your job, getting divorced, or something heavy like that? Well, of course you'll feel anxious.

The question is, how do you interpret the anxiety? As a call to action, or a call to retreat. If you choose the latter, you'll see anxiety as your enemy.

A Different Relationship with Anxiety

When you decide to take positive action, you form a different relationship with anxiety. It's no longer your enemy. It becomes like a personal trainer who says, "c'mon, let's go!"

And why do we hire personal trainers? To push ourselves to do the painful stuff that we know is actually good for us.

What about anxiety disorders and panic attacks? You can't just tell people to "lean in" to a panic attack.

Look, I'm not saying don't seek help. Therapy and anxiety medications are also actions you can take! So do that if you need to. The minute you decide to get help, you have taken control.

Anxiety is a Call to Action

Clearly, some things are beyond your control, like the weather and mortality. Accepting that which you truly cannot change is important for your peace of mind. And yes, acceptance is an action.

But so many things are in your control! Health, finances, relationships... all these things you have control over. While there are no guarantees that your efforts will achieve results, you can indeed take action. And if anxiety pops up again, take more action.

Please remember this: anxiety is an action signal. You must take some sort of action. Of course sometimes you need to retreat, recharge, gather your energy. That's fine. Take care of yourself. But don't fall into the trap of escapism.

The key, the real key, is to redefine anxiety. All our lives we've been told it's bad. I'm telling you that you can make anxiety your friend. It's your personal trainer. Say, "thank you anxiety" and then take action.

Like a muscle, the more you develop the ability to take action in response to anxiety, the stronger you become.

After reading this blog post, choose one "anxiety item" to take action on. Whatever it is... studying for an exam, looking at your finances, talking to someone... let the anxiety bubble up. Feel the energy behind it. It's your call to action.

Now... take a step, however small, it doesn't matter. Just start moving. You can do it! You can also check out my Therapy for Anxiety page.