“Don’t Ever Turn Your Anxiety Into Your Profession.”
Motivation-Whenever we feel anxiety, our first response is to get rid of it as quick as possible. We try varied methods to suppress the anxiety or eliminate it via different techniques. These options of anxiety alleviation are useful, but they may not always be the best approach.
“One of the main issues with such methods is the fact that they act as reinforcements to the belief that anxiety is unwanted and bad and should be diffused immediately.”
There is however another way to deal with anxiety. It can be used as a means to bring about change, growth and motivation. A cognitive strategy that allows people to harness anxiety as motivation was devised by Nancy Cantor in the mid 1980s. Called Defensive pessimism, the therapy prepares anxiety sufferers for appropriate reactions to performances or events that causes anxiety.
The strategy consists of setting low expectations, irrespective of past achievements. This is followed by analyzing past negative outcomes, foreseeing possible negative setbacks, and then prepare for them or take steps to avoid them. All these ways helps harness anxiety for a more productive use of energy.
Listed below are some ways in which people can tap anxiety into motivation and use it in a more mindful, constructive, and consistent manner:
Increased blood pressure, dizziness, and jitteriness can easily overtake you when anxiety strikes! It is during these moments that you need to control your emotions by taking deep breaths, prevent it from taking over, and thus pave the path towards harnessing it towards motivation.
Find out your optimal levels of anxiety
Low anxiety levels can trigger complacency, while elevated anxiety can be debilitating and disruptive of normal life. It is at the optimal level, i.e., not too high or not too low, that you can use it for your benefit. Knowing your optimal anxiety level can help you inflate anxiety when it is too low for performance at peak levels, and/or moderate anxiety when it is too high.
Question the reason behind anxiety and try to understand what it is trying to show or tell you
Anxiety is often something that tries to act as filler to the gaps between your life’s goals and the current situation. These gaps get detected by the subconscious mind and may trigger anxiety. You may ask open-ended questions about the cause or anxiety, what can be done to avoid/reduce it, etc., to gain a better understanding and use it to harness into motivation.
Do not leave anxiety unchecked as procrastination can only result in worsening of anxiety and adverse effects on daily life
Instead of inaction, it is better to use anxiety energy for useful purposes and prevent it from holding you back.
Don’t pass judgments about anxiety
Terming it as bad, negative, etc., only causes us to suppress, reject, or avoid anxiety whenever it rears its head. Hasty judgments about anxiety can also prevent us from effectively fighting it and/or using it for productive purposes.
Ensure that you remain aware of the big picture
Avoid taking the first action that comes to your mind when dealing with anxiety. Think through, keeping your life’s desires and goals in mind, before finding a motivational solution to anxiety.
Watch The Video Below To Gain The Mindset Towards Positive Change Starting Today (Don’t Forget To Subscribe To The Anxiety Guy Channel On YouTube For Much More).
This was a great way to wake up
And start the day People with anxiety tend to shy away from change this is a reminder of how change can be a motivator to do new things and get out of a rut Thanks Dennis another great video
Looking forward to our next session Kathy much love!
I visited this website 7 months ago and sent a message to Dennis asking for advice regarding anxiety issues I was going through. In response, he asked me if I believed that I could be cured and I responded with a big NO. He then, highlighted the importance of self belief. We kept on exchanging views for about 4 months. Today, I feel myself stronger, healthier and out of panic and anxiety. Tough it takes time, but with Dennis’ expertise I have come a very long way to a anxiety free life. Dennis, you are a gem.
Grateful beyond belief. 🙏
I have suffered from lifelong, health anxiety and contacted numerous anxiety guys who have claimed to be “experts”. Sadly, nothing worked for me. When I emailed Dennis, he was very compassionate and all set to help me. I remained in touch with him for 3 months and every next day, I felt myself stronger and healthier. His program works and works really well!
Thanks for the kind thoughts on the program Eleanor, having helped thousands worldwide it continues to be the go-to resource to overcome health anxiety and GAD.
Hi dennis, this is michaella 23 yrs old from cebu philippines. Ive been watching you’re videos everyday and it keeps me better all the time. when i have anxiety or panic attack its so uncomfortable i kept on touching myself whenever theirs pain or i feel anxious then later on i start to ask myself whats happening to me then after i have palpitation but sometimes i can control myself whenever my anxiety strikes but last year was the worse because ive been going alot to the hospital every night because i cant control myself same thing thus to you dennis,but now i slowly learned about whats happening to my body and i’m learning to understand and accept things and thank you so much dennis for the help.Im suffering about 1 year and half now, its not getting worse but its uncomfortable because im not like that before. I hope you’ll reply to my message and sorry for my grammar 😊 god bless! Do hope we can talk 🙌
The mind begins to unconsciously attach itself to fears that begin in the outside and inside world (beliefs). When the part of your brain that is responsible for the fear response is triggered continuously it can bewilder even the strongest willed person. It’s important to partake in relaxation exercises combined with a method based around CBT that can alter your perceptions, and provide you the tools in moments of confusion. I like your approach towards understanding the mind/body system better, now it’s time to show the boss (your mind) who’s boss with the proper skill sets along with the mindset you have adopted. This program will give that to you in abundance: https://theanxietyguy.com/my-program/