5 Brilliant Ways To Use Your Anxiety

Anxiety is a problem. There is no way of getting around that, it’s true. It’s not curable. You can’t just wish it away. No positive affirmation or thought is going to send it twirling away in the wind.

It is something you need to learn to live with. 

In my journey of learning how to do just that, I have found that there are actually benefits to my anxiety.

I have found ways to use my anxiety to guide me & elevate my life experiences. 

Let me share with you five ways to use anxiety.

Anxiety gives you a tracker to assess what’s off balance or out of alignment. 

Anxiety is like a superpower. Annoying, yes? But still a superpower. Anxiety will let you know when something is just not right. It will let you know when the things you say you want and the things you’re doing or being presented with don’t align. Listen to it. Let it guide you. 

Anxiety makes you have an elevated sense of consideration for others. 

Because anxiety (often) makes you obsessively aware of how things can feel aggressive or hurtful, you’re constantly aware of how you say and word things. So when you’re at home obsessing about how you said a certain thing & how it may have come off the wrong way, let anxiety be your guide to go back and clarify. Not only does this make you a better communicator by practice, it shows people you give a whole lot of f*cks about how they feel and where you want to be in their life.

Anxiety gives you the gift of being able to audible. You always have a Plan B, C, D, etc. 

If you have anxiety, you know what I’m talking about. We play out every scenario in our head before they even (or ever) happen. We are prepared for every version of “the worst”. But guess what, that means whatever does happen - you’re going to be alright. Because you already worked it out in your head. You already rehearsed what you would say and how you would respond. Lean on that preparation. 

Anxiety is really just a warning to your system. It is there to help you protect yourself & to avoid problems.

Anxiety is a nervous system reaction. Does it go overboard? Yes, often. However, it is a very natural response that our body has in being faced with to the potential threat of harm. It isn’t always wrong. It is just dramatic. Find the source. What was it that caused your nervous system to be on edge? It doesn't have to be serious to require your attention. Let the warning be a guide.

Anxiety will teach you how to have critical thinking and research skills. 

When anxiety comes knocking on your door, if you’ve done any bit of actual work (hello therapy) to learn how to deal with it, you know one of the biggest fights you have is to consistently and constantly get in the practice of proving those intrusive thoughts wrong. Knowing how to look for the facts in order to build a case the stands up against the truth versus make-believe makes you a great critical thinker and researcher. Use that. 

I truly believe everything we go through in life is greatly influenced by our personal and individual perspectives. That includes what we do with our anxiety.

Yes. Sometimes the thoughts that come are just plain mean. In those situations, put them in the corner & tell them to shut up.

In all the other ones, invite them into the grey area and see what the real message is.

Anxiety is really just an intense portal to get to know yourself. 

The question is. Are you ready? 

Bonus: With anxiety, you’ll always be pleasantly surprised when things are easier than you thought & work out better than you imagined.