Dealing With Anxiety:
A Few Thoughts on Dealing With Anxiety

We can't control life. No matter how rich, or powerful, or smart we are, we can't control life.

And that thought, for a great many people, is terrifying. They wake up each day wondering what will go wrong and trying to micromanage their existences so that they have all the potential disasters covered. Soon they are too overcome with worry to make even the smallest decisions. Instead of dealing with anxiety, they succumb to it.

Are there ways of dealing with anxiety? Well, if you are in touch with your feelings enough to recognize that your anxiety may not be justified, then yes, there are some things you can try.

Dealing with anxiety is no different from dealing with an addiction. Anxiety causes us to obsess, the way an addiction causes an alcoholic to drink. And the basic tenet of recovering addicts is "One day at a time."

How does that philosophy apply in dealing with anxiety? If you are feeling overwhelmed by a situation, try telling yourself, "One thing at a time." Dealing with anxiety means not being intimidated by the number of the actions necessary to get that presentation ready for your boss by next week; take them on one by one.

When each step is completed, congratulate yourself and move on. Dealing with anxiety by tackling things in increments is much easier than looking at an entire project and wondering how you will ever get it finished. And, when you are not actually confronting the things that stress you, dealing with anxiety can be as simple as enjoying a hobby, reading a good book, or exercising. Occupy your brain with something relaxing.

A realistic understanding of what you can and cannot control also helps in dealing with anxiety. You may have spent weeks preparing for that job promotion interview, and think you aced it. But what if your interviewer was also stressed and distracted, and did not pick up on how perfect you are for the job?

Can you go back and change that? No. And to obsess about how life isn't fair, or what you should have done differently, is counter-productive. Dealing with your anxiety in a healthy way would be to let the interview go, get back to your present job, and do it so well that you will get noticed. You CAN control that.

Finally, maintain perspective. Dealing with anxiety means directing your mental energy to what's important. If you get anxious because there's a long line at the movie theater and you are worried that your show will be sold out before you get your tickets, and your date will think you are a complete waste of time, and no one will ever love you, and … well, you get the picture!

And above all, don't be anxious because if you've had no success in dealing with anxiety on your own. You deserve to live a relaxed, happy, successful life, and there are professionals who can help you do it!

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