Are you tired of being anxious and ready to take back control? Are you ready to be driven towards your goals instead of shying away because of the lies your head tells you? Friends, we are in this together… Here are 5 anxiety-grounding steps that help me on a daily basis.
Step 1: Name it
The first step in conquering your anxiety is to figure out what it may be. Are you anxious about an upcoming exam? Are you anxious that the person you have feelings for might not feel the same way? Maybe it’s something even as simple to others as going into the grocery store by yourself. The better you can become at figuring out what it is that is making you lose your ambition to anxiousness, the easier it may be to get rid of. Research consistently shows that naming your emotions helps you manage and control your anxiety, even when you think it won’t (Clark, Alicia H.). This is also a time for you to really become in touch with yourself and your personal feelings. Sometimes journaling or just calling up a friend to say it out loud can help!
Step 2: feel it
It is okay to allow yourself to feel things. Your feelings are always valid and feelings are never bad. The best way to get through something is to go through it. Letting the feeling wash over you is one thing, but letting the wave crash hard is another. You are strong no matter what and there are always options for you. “Anxiety can be used as a powerful motivator. Instead of saying ‘I feel anxious,’ you can re-frame this and say ‘I feel excited.’ Once you have this mindset, you can become highly motivated to deal with whatever is making you feel anxious” (Rhodes, Jon).
Step 3: let it go
Maybe it’s time to try a method of anxiety-grounding. For me, I like to use the 5-4-3-2-1 method. You are to name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps me to become more aware of my surroundings and to ease my mind. Looking up these types of methods might be your next step. After you have figured out what you are anxious about and let yourself feel it, it is time to move on. Maybe now you can go write that paper that you were anxious about earlier. Now you can say hi to that person you see every day but have always been too scared to talk to. Whatever this may be, just know that baby steps and completely okay and you should be very proud of yourself.
Just as a careful reminder, anxiety disorders are something that should be taken very seriously and if you are feeling this way in a chronic manner it may be time to seek help. Your campus counseling center is always there for you, as well as crisis hotlines. Maybe even set up an appointment with your doctor to talk about your feelings is the first step in the right direction. They can then refer you to a psychologist if necessary. I hope this was helpful for you to begin to turn your anxiousness into ambition!