These Things Will Stop Your Anxiety From Spiraling

Unsplash

Anxiety and fear are ruthless and can sabotage our lives if we allow it. Fear can make you feel like you’re drowning under the biggest wave with no sign of help in sight. Unchecked fear can keep you in bed for hours past what is healthy or wise. Anxiety can also show us as in the form of extreme anger and unkind words or actions. The longer you struggle with fear, the more likely it is for you to be overwhelmed by it, allowing it to control your every decision and move. Choosing not to deal with it can leave you with scars. That’s why it’s so important for us to take our anxiety head on so our lives don’t get away from us. We have the power to overcome our anxiety if we are truly intentional about it. Here are six incredible things that will actually help you when you find yourself in a spiral of anxiety.

Challenge Your Anxiety

Shutterstock.com

One of the best things to do when your anxiety is spiraling is to challenge your anxiety. You might begin to do one thing every day that scares you. While it’s easy to live in your comfort zone, it’s not the best way to live, especially when you’re trapped in your own fear. Not doing the things that frighten you will increase the likelihood that your fears will become bigger – and take over your life. It can even be something small you choose to do, but do something daily that really challenges you to step outside of your norm. When you form the habit of doing something daily that scares you, your courage will begin to grow little by little. After some time, the barriers that once were holding you back vanish and your potential will grow tremendously.

Figure Out the Root of Your Anxiety

unsplash

Pinpoint the fear and anxiety that’s plaguing you the most – about your body, finances, love life, career, dreams or yourself – and hold it up to the light out your awareness. It’s time to get super real. Ask yourself honestly: Is this thought really true? Can I know for sure? Is there another way of looking at this? What would the highest version of me say about this? Remember, the word thought is not synonymous with the word truth. In other words, your thoughts are not necessarily true or important and you don’t have to take them so seriously. Think of them like passing cloud in the sky – they come and they go. Your true self is an observer who watches your fear-based thoughts as they pass by.

Put Courage First

Unsplash

Most people want to feel security first and foremost. People will put up with jobs that they hate, marriages that make them miserable and habits that are killing them simply to feel more secure. To conquer fear, you must consciously let go of security as the things that you value most in your life and replace it with courage. Decide once and for all that it’s more important for you to have courage to do what you must to succeed, rather than to cling to the things that make you feel safe. Also, treat fear as a call to action. If what you fear is outside of your control, write down a specific plan of the exact steps you’ll take to adapt. Then, you’re already prepared even when you’re walking into the unknown.

Eliminate Mental Distractions

Shutterstock.com

When it comes to your anxiety, your mind can be your biggest enemy. If you can make it harder for your mind to focus on things that could cause fear, you’ll be less able to trigger symptoms that cause the feelings of anxiety. Distract yourself all day with activities you enjoy, phone calls, positive music, comedy on television and other things that don’t cause anxiety but still distract your mind. One really effective activity is walking. Walking around helps with blood glow and provides you with visual and mental stimulation. It also reduces some of the adrenaline in your bloodstream which is important for keeping your anxiety away. Another effective activity is writing out your thoughts. Your mind has a tendency to focus on thoughts when you have them because it’s trying to get you to pay attention to them. But the mind also relaxes when it knows you’ve already recorded those thoughts.

Act When Your Body Tells You To

unsplash.com

If you’re anxious a lot, the best time to act is when your body tells you too. Prior to acting, have a well thought out plan that you are ready to execute the moment your adrenaline is rushing. We begin to worry and over analyze situations when we don’t have detailed and well thought out plans for our life. It’s important that you set extremely clear goals with a detailed plan on how to achieve those goals. After you have a well detailed plan, take action. Taking action towards meaningful goals helps to relieve stress and gives you a huge sense of fulfillment. Fear creeps in and paralyzes us when we don’t take the time to plan things out. The perfect time to act is before you start thinking too hard about it.

Take Fear Head On

Unsplash

Fear feels uncomfortable, but in most cases, it won’t really harm you – but attempting to avoid the experience of fear will because you are robbing yourself of the chance to experience the deep satisfaction which comes with listening to your heart and soul and creating a better life fill of passion and purpose. First, reflect on the fact that whatever you fear now will likely not be on your radar down the line. There can be comfort in knowing that whatever you’re experiencing now isn’t a forever thing. Next, check in with your future self. How will you feel a year from now if you don’t take action towards your dreams? How about five or ten years from now? Remembering the bigger vision for your life can help you out of your comfort zone and into the unknown.