Work with anxiety
Leaning into it and opening up may help you cope and thrive
One in four people will experience anxiety at some stage in their life, and despite its prevalence there are still stigmas attached. Motivational coach and anxiety sufferer herself, Katie Dean, wants us to stop being hard on ourselves and others, and approach anxiety with compassion and support.
HOW IT FEELS
Anxiety isn’t a “one size fits all” condition. It can come in many forms of varying degrees, according to Katie.
“At its heaviest and most debilitating, you feel complete and utter terror manifested and flooding through your body,” she explains. “Within a full-fledged panic attack, the feeling within your body can be as though your life, in that moment, is on the line. [Milder Milder experiences] feel like a low-level panic, like trying ng to keep an eye on three children ldren at once at a busy playground, ound, who are hellbent on running ning in different directions.
“It is completely possible bl t to thrive alongside your anxiety when you choose to embrace and accept it.”
COPING TECHNIQUES
“Know that you are in no way damaged, hard work or crazy,” says Katie. “Showing up every day to a war that no one else can see is incredibly brave.”
Self-care is also important, so try things like exercise, reading, meditation, art, writing, time with friends or whatever it is that helps you be the best you. It might help to ask yourself questions, too.
“Ask yourself why these emotions are coming i up f for you. Wh Why i is this bothering you so much?” she suggests. “The answer is your golden ticket, and a lot of the time what’s required is a little self-compassion and a whole lot of belief in your ability.”
DITCHING STIGMA
Trying to explain to people who don’t have anxiety how it actually feels can be difficult, not to mention tricky for them to comprehend. It’s those missing links of communication that can cause misconceptions.
“Share your experience,” says Katie. “There isn’t anything to be ashamed of, especially when you understand your fear is just a chance to be brave. When we change the way we see our anxiety, we change the way we experience it. When we change the way we talk about anxiety, the conversations we have around it become so much more uplifting and positive.”