Try to notice how often you have the same thoughts over and over again. Try to see how when you have those same thoughts you give the same reactions over and over again. This creates our anxiety cycles, this feeds the beast. We think we want to change but through our reactions we have reified our identity as someone who has anxiety. We need to change this. I give a couple practical things we can do to set us on our way.

I give my top 6 books on anxiety!

Knowledge is key. We can't begin to change our perspective unless we learn what our current perspective is and how to change it. Reading has been such a huge part of my journey. It has opened the doors to a river of knowledge that has guided me and changed my life for the better.

Even if it sounds cheesy or feels fake at first, starting our day off with some positive and healthy practices can help us avoid just diving right into our anxiety cycle as soon as we wake up. We can't keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results. So let's try and break up the cycle by interrupting it first thing in the morning.

The benefits of diet and exercise on our anxiety are well known. But sometimes we have the mindset that these two things, when implemented, are going to "fix" us. This mindset towards exercise and diet puts added pressure on us to feel better. When we don't immediately feel better then we've created another problem for ourselves. I'll explain how I view exercise and diet as just another part of the whole process, rather than a quick fix. 

We can't just accept things with a snap of our fingers. Even just thinking "I accept this" isn't enough, it's a start, but we need action behind that mindset. I give three steps to help us practice acceptance: Don't Run, Start a Practice (Meditation) to Practice Acceptance, Fake it 'Till You Make it.

Plus a short Q & A on performance anxiety.

I bring back an old metaphor with an update and a brand new metaphor. The first is the anxiety tug of war. We are always pulling on the rope trying to make anxiety do what we want, trying to "win". But who and what are we actually pulling against and can we "win". The second metaphor is if we keep staring at the sun and it hurts our eyes why do we continue to stare at the sun instead of moving our focus to the blue sky. 

We are always wondering why the lights are off? Or Why we can't see things like we used to? Or, who turned off the lights? But maybe we need to stop asking who turned the lights off and start just trying to get to the light switch and turn them on. 

Boredom is a common feeling and is very underestimated in its ability to create anxiety and depression. It's a very dismissed feeling because we have so many distractions at the ready. But let's not distract, let's try to investigate through simply being aware of our states of boredom. 

How I use positivity. 

We don't like to hear it, but it's easier to stay the same than it is to change. Change is hard and takes work and staying the same just doesn't.