Anxiety: It's Not the Enemy You Think It Is

Have you ever felt your palms get sweaty and your knees weaken while your mind starts going a mile a minute? Or how about spending middle-of-the-night hours navigating the ripples of worry, replaying past mistakes, or stressing about uncertainties? Those are all signs that anxiety is paying you a visit— and sometimes it can often feel like a guest that never leaves.

But what if anxiety isn't the enemy we make it out to be? What if it's more like an overenthusiastic friend who's always trying to "help" but doesn't quite know how?

Breaking Free from Anxious Attachment

Most people can relate to the anxiety moments above, but some of us carry around a unique brand of worry: the "please don't leave me" variety. It's like having a little kid inside of you, constantly tugging at your sleeve, wanting reassurance that everything's okay. 

Anxious attachment is a pattern commonly seen in relationships: Your partner doesn't text back for a few hours, and suddenly, you're writing a dramatic screenplay in your head. You get stuck on thoughts like: 

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Maybe they've met someone else."

"I knew this was too good to be true."

Sound familiar? Anxious attachment is rooted in a deep-seated fear of abandonment, often stemming from childhood experiences or past relationships.

It's mentally exhausting, but don’t get mad about it. Your brain is an overzealous bodyguard, trying to protect you from harm. Recognizing this pattern is the first step toward changing it.

When Anxiety is Your Overprotective BFF 

Instead of seeing anxiety as the Big Bad Wolf, think of it more like a really enthusiastic but slightly misguided personal assistant.

When those feelings of abandonment arise—or you start playing your Top 10 most embarrassing moments in your head—instead of getting overwhelmed, ask yourself, "What's really happening? What do I need right now?"

Try to bring yourself back to the present. A good trick: Take stock of what you can see, hear, or smell.

3 Strategies to Make Anxiety Your Ally 

Here are a few helpful tips to help you tame your worry:

Stop Hating on Your Anxiety: It's Trying to Help (Sort of)

Try to build a new relationship with your anxiety. Instead of seeing it as the enemy, work on seeing it as a slightly overprotective friend. By doing so, you'll regain control and empower yourself to move forward in the face of fear.

When anxiety shows up, acknowledge it. Then question it. Sometimes, you may even want to thank it.

The goal isn't to get rid of anxiety completely. The goal is to learn to live with it and to use it rather than let it use you.

It's a journey that takes work, and some days are better than others. But every time we face our fears, every time we push through the anxiety and do the scary thing anyway, we're not just coping, we're growing. 

Along the Same Lines…

We love you,
Mona & The Sol TV Team ❤️

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