Our anxious feelings are trying to tell us something.
Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, running through every possible worst-case scenario, or feeling on edge when things are going too well? Anxiety has a way of keeping us on high alert. But instead of letting anxiety control us, we can actually use it to our advantage.
Licensed therapist Nichole Conrad explained how to turn anxiety into creativity.
Why Do We Feel Anxious?
Our brain is great at taking care of us. It helps us be on high alert for danger or unexpected things. This protective part of our brain is why we feel anxious. It prepares us for problems and motivates us to take care of them. However, sometimes our worry feels disproportionate to the situation, making us feel overwhelmed. Nichole explained, “Our brain wants to protect us. It’s doing its job. It’s working really hard to keep us safe and prepared.”
Common Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety can manifest in both physical and mental ways. Physically, you might experience muscle tension, butterflies in your stomach, shortness of breath, or even holding your breath. Mentally, you might have racing thoughts, difficulty controlling worry, or catastrophizing—blowing things out of proportion.
Why Can’t We Just Turn It Off?
Our brain wants to protect us, so it works hard to keep us safe and prepared. This means that even though anxiety can be overwhelming, it also serves a purpose. It helps us prepare for worst-case scenarios and feel ready for anything. However, it’s important to manage anxiety so it doesn’t take over our lives. Nichole pointed out, “When we have that worry, it feels like it’s serving us, and that’s the tricky part—it really feels almost like a security blanket for us.”
Tips for Managing Anxiety
Nichole shared several tips to turn anxiety to creativity.
- Use Imagery: Imagine a scenario where an alarm goes off in your house because of smoke, not fire. This helps you see that just because there’s an alarm, it doesn’t mean there’s a real danger. This perspective can help you calm down and assess the situation more clearly. Nichole noted, “Just because there’s an alarm doesn’t mean there’s a fire.”
- Identify the Source: Go deeper than the immediate worry. For example, if you’re anxious about a job interview, think about why it’s important to you. Maybe it’s because you want to provide for your family. Understanding the real reason behind your anxiety can help you address it more effectively. Nichole advised, “Think about it. What is the real reason behind this worry and then come up with a plan that’s going to help you address that.”
- Separate Anxiety from Yourself: Recognize that anxiety is just a part of you trying to help. It’s not who you are. By separating yourself from your anxiety, you can think more clearly and respond from a place of calm and clarity. Nichole explained, “When you can say, ‘This is just a part of me that’s trying to help me do my best in life,’ you can set that aside and think about what’s really most important.”
You can find more from Nichole at Resilient Life Counseling in Farmington, where she is currently conducting a motherhood workshop series. Visit their website at resilientlifecounseling.com to join her.
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