Navigating Quicksand: Four Strategies to Manage Anxiety

Do you know the best way to get out of quicksand (bonus points to anyone who has actually ever had to escape quicksand)? It’s not to run as fast as you can, that will only make you sink. The best way is to lay your entire body down in it so that you can distribute the weight and exit to safety.

Anxiety tells us that there is a threat and we need to run away. In reality, we need to do the opposite. Here are just a few ways to help:

Stop Fighting

If I were to ask you to not think about a cow, soon you would find your thoughts trailing off to a pasture of cows. Trying to avoid thinking about anxiety is only going to make you think about it more.

Get Curious

Ask yourself this question: If anxiety had a voice, what would it be telling me? This helps collect the story behind the anxiety.

Take it to Court

This allows you to move from your emotion to logic by honoring the anxious prediction with an “I believe” statement, but moving to considering alternatives.

1. I believe I will fail

2. Can I prove this in a court of law (the answer is no)

3. Can I consider alternatives? I can consider that making mistakes is not failure.

Unhook from Anxiety’s Grip

1. Precede your belief with I’m having the thought. “I’m having the thought that I will fail.”

2. Visualizing your anxious emotions are like leaves on a stream. You notice their presence, but also notice as they float past you.

3. Use a calming scent. Get an essential oil that you like and put some drops under your nose, or take a whiff when you are feeling a bit anxious. It will immediately calm your body. Calm body=calm mind.