How To Accept Your Anxiety: 14 No Nonsense Tips

Things to do to accept your anxiety.

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The tips and techniques I’m sharing here from my own personal experience aim to help you develop a more vital, more in-depth understanding of what anxiety is, why you have it, what you can do to cope, and how to accept the challenges it throws your way.

It will help you to take control of the narrative and understand how your anxiety is trying to protect you rather than hinder you.

When you increase your understanding of your anxiety, you’ll become mentally and emotionally more intelligent and mature and, therefore, better able to deal with triggers and cope more healthily.

Regardless of your severity of anxiety, you’ll find helpful and tangible tips in this article.

1. Don’t view anxiety as a flaw.

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Living with anxiety, though massively difficult, is not a detriment to you. On the contrary, a special part of you requires more TLC (tender, love, care) that aims to keep you safe and secure.

It’s important to remember that having an anxiety disorder is not a character flaw, nor is it something to fear according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. In fact, your anxiety could be attributed to improved performance in various areas of life.

For example, if you have a big work presentation coming up and your anxiety is high, you would then practice it to make sure that you nail it. Or, if you’re anxious about walking alone, you’ll be more alert and aware, contributing to your overall safety.

To start accepting your anxiety, you need to reframe how you see it and ensure that you’re not labeling it as a flaw.

2. Remember, anxiety is real.

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Don’t be caught up in the thought that anxiety isn’t real or that it’s not an actual mental health condition. There is more than enough evidence out there to debunk that myth.

One way to change this thought is by learning about it. Learn about your diagnosis. Knowledge is power. To accept your anxiety, you need to understand it. Read about it, follow content creators that share their experiences, talk to your doctor, and listen to podcasts.

Find real, authentic versions of how anxiety is wrapped up in people’s lives. Understanding your anxiety can help you accept that it’s real and you’re struggling with it. It can be a key factor in increasing your self-compassion. Once you see it in real life, it can be easier to accept that you also have it.

3. Challenge unhelpful thoughts.

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Even though you have anxiety and accept it, you don’t have to allow the thoughts to run rampant and disrupt your vibe. Make it a habit to challenge any unhelpful or negative thought that enters your mind. For example, “I’m not good enough” becomes “Yes, I deserve to be here too.” Dr. David D. Burns, a pioneer in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and author of numerous books on mood therapy, discusses the importance of challenging negative thoughts in his bestselling book.

Put doubt in the concrete anxious thoughts and allow yourself permission to believe the opposite. Humans are incredibly habitual creatures, and thinking negative things and self-sabotaging can become a person’s first instinct. When you begin to challenge those thoughts, you’re giving yourself permission to embrace other thoughts, such as more positive and kind ones about yourself.

4. Move around.

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Movement is important. Physical health is important, but accepting and improving your relationship with anxiety is critical. So, incorporate some form of joyful movement into your daily routine. The difference it can make in terms of your life is impressive and well evidenced.

In terms of how it will affect anxiety, imagine a kettle that is whistling with boiling water. It’s ready to make tea. When you open the lid, it’s like a relief for the kettle. That’s how movement is with anxiety. It’s a release of energy and a natural mood booster.

5. Embrace the discomfort.

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Growth happens when change occurs. You have to change to grow. Work on shifting your mindset from hating change to embracing it. Learn to be comfortable with the things that make you uncomfortable because those things typically foster growth and development. Dr. Susan David, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of “Emotional Agility,” discusses the benefits of embracing discomfort in her work.

I think society has inherently taught us to fear change. Much of anxiety is rooted in change, and by becoming more comfortable with change, you take away anxiety’s power to derail your day (or, for some of us, our lives.)

6. Don’t wait for your anxiety to go away.

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Don’t make the mistake of waiting for your anxiety to leave before you live your life. Anxiety is a part of life during this season for you, and that’s okay. Commit to learning skills, developing your toolbox, and being an active part of your life.

Don’t wait for anxiety to leave before you do what you want. Make a point of doing those things despite your anxiety. Dr. David A. Carbonell, a clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety disorders, emphasizes the value in this. So set yourself small goals to work toward to ensure you’re still living your life. Make sure that you set goals that are actually achievable, otherwise, it might feel like you’re on a never-ending treadmill while you’re trying to accomplish them!

7. Remember your success rate.

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Remind yourself as often as needed that you’ve survived everything up until now and will continue to persevere. Challenging moments are only that. Moments. And while sixty seconds of anxiety could pass for feeling like at least an hour, it’s still just sixty seconds. Gently remind yourself of this fact every time you encounter your anxiety being an obstacle. You’ve survived every difficult instant up until this moment. Remind yourself of this as often as you need.

8. Seek support.

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Create a support circle. This might be through attending and participating in various support groups, and therapy programs, or with friends and loved ones. Support is integral. A good support person can make a large difference in how anxiety can affect you. Look for people who are open to learning and genuinely care about you.

Therapy can be a life-changing experience if you can access it. It can be a game changer if you’re living with anxiety.

You, of course, have to be an active participant in your own therapy journey, find and connect with the right therapist, and put into practice the tools you learn, but, over time, therapy is transformational.

With the help of a trained therapist, you will learn and develop new skills and techniques, have the opportunity to apply them in real life, and then connect back with your therapist to reevaluate.

In addition, therapists can assist patients with learning healthy ways to cope and retrain their behavior patterns.

9. Show yourself some compassion.

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The fact is, anxiety is a real mental health issue. There are several different anxiety disorders, and their subsequent symptoms can be crippling, painful, and debilitating. It’s hard to live with anxiety, so remember to show yourself compassion.

Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research and Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin suggests you talk to yourself like you would talk to your best friend in the exact same situation. Chances are, you wouldn’t be telling your best friend that it’s all in their head or that it’s not real. Instead, you’d be kind, compassionate, and caring. Show yourself that same level of kindness.

10. Incorporate mindfulness into your life.

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Mindfulness is the practice of bringing awareness to the present moment and being fully there. It takes practice and effort. However, the effects of it are huge! Mindfulness helps to reduce stress and increase self-awareness. It can also improve anxiety symptoms and help change your relationship with yourself. Mindfulness involves being in the moment, which counteracts most anxiety very well.

Not sure how to bring mindfulness into your life? Begin tomorrow with a guided morning meditation. You’ll be beginning the day with gratitude, mindfulness, and most importantly, awareness. After you complete this a few times, it will become more routine. However, you will feel the calm benefits right after successfully meditating.

11. Don’t stop learning.

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Always be learning and implementing. Read a new anxiety tip in your latest magazine. Try it. (Try a technique more than once before deciding it didn’t bring relief. Some techniques take time to master!) Learn about mental health, anxiety, your specific anxiety disorder, and everything else. The more you learn, the more you master your own anxiety.

12. Start a journaling practice.

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Journaling is a helpful tool in accepting anxiety. You can write about anything in your journal without judgment, making it a safe environment. You can give a home to your doubts, worries, and insecurities. Journaling is an impactful tool for good overall health, but it can really assist with accepting and understanding your anxiety.

A person can identify patterns through regular journaling and become more aware of what triggers them. In addition, journaling is a place where you can embrace gratitude. Begin your day with a list of three things you’re grateful for. Then, journal throughout the day to reflect on how you’re feeling.

Journaling is a great way to develop a stronger inner awareness and identify triggers, both of which are significant in accepting and coping with anxiety.

13. Embrace self-care.

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Taking care of yourself needs to be your priority, especially when you’re dealing with anxiety. Create positive, healthy habits that will contribute to your overall well-being. These can include yoga, healthy nutrition, gentle movement, meditation, therapy, art, swimming, and so on. Self-care is necessary and important.

14. Advocate.

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Spread awareness about anxiety, about living with it, and the great challenges that it presents. Advocate for yourself, your care, and your rights. Having anxiety isn’t a flaw or a negative character trait. Instead, becoming an advocate can increase your confidence, self-awareness, and your support circle.