Claim Your Calm: Turning Down the Volume on Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common emotional experiences we all face. Whether it’s a racing heartbeat, a tight chest, or a mind that won’t quiet down, we’ve all felt its grip at some point. And after going through an awakening—realizing how trauma has shaped our behaviors—anxiety can feel even more intense. We’re aware of it, yet it doesn’t disappear.
In today’s blog, I want to talk about how to begin loosening anxiety's grip on our lives, starting with a simple yet effective practice.
Understanding the Impacts of Anxiety
When anxiety hits, it often feels overwhelming. You might experience physical symptoms like:
Increased heart rate
Tightness in the chest
Trouble breathing
Sweating
And then there’s the emotional aspect—feeling out of control or like something bad is going to happen. But the key here is recognizing that anxiety is often not about what’s happening now. It’s a reaction rooted in past trauma or experiences.
For example, maybe your baseline anxiety sits at an 8 on a scale from 1 to 10, making it hard to function in your daily life. It causes you to act in ways that don’t feel authentic to your true self. You might long for calm, but your anxiety keeps you from fully embracing the present moment.
The Anxiety “Program”
Anxiety often hides our true selves behind a version that was shaped by old, protective programs. These programs were designed to keep us “safe” in situations where we were once at risk. But here’s the thing: the past is over, and we’re safe now. Anxiety no longer needs to hold us captive, but when we don’t address it, it can continue to hijack our lives.
Take a personal example, for instance. I’ve dealt with imposter syndrome and the overwhelming anxiety that comes with it. For a while, I’d feel extreme anxiety about presenting in executive meetings, despite being more than qualified. The cause wasn’t necessarily the current situation but an old program from a toxic workplace environment that triggered those anxious feelings.
And the result? Reinforcement. Every time I allowed those emotions to take over, I unknowingly kept raising my baseline anxiety. It’s a cycle that many of us fall into without even realizing it.
The Reprogramming Hack
So, how do we break the cycle and begin lowering our baseline anxiety? It starts with one simple hack: reframing.
There are three steps to reprogramming yourself in the moment. When you’re feeling anxious:
Identify the Current Feelings – Name them. Is it fear? Nervousness? Lack of confidence? By acknowledging what you’re feeling, you begin to bring awareness to the situation.
Ask Yourself: Does This Fit? – Is your anxiety related to the current situation, or is it a remnant of something from your past? This step is crucial because you may be reacting to something that no longer applies.
Flip the Script – This is the key to reprogramming your mind and body. Instead of dwelling on the anxious emotions, flip them to their opposites. If you’re feeling nervous, say out loud, “I am calm. I am collected. I am confident.” Repeat it until you start to believe it.
Now, I know this might feel awkward at first. You may not believe it immediately. That’s okay. The point is, you’re actively changing the narrative. By saying the opposite of your anxious feelings, you’re sending new signals to your mind and body. As you carry these opposites into new experiences, over time, your brain starts to associate that feeling of calm with situations that once triggered anxiety.
A Personal Story of Reprogramming
Let me give you an example. As I mentioned earlier, I once had anxiety about presenting in front of executive leadership. It wasn’t the situation that was causing me anxiety; it was an old pattern from years of toxic work environments that triggered it.
But one day, just before a meeting, I caught myself spiraling into anxiety. In that moment, I chose to stop and say, “No, I’m going to approach this with calm and confidence.”
I went into the meeting grounded, and everything went smoothly. I realized that I was safe all along, and this small shift helped me begin to reprogram my body and my mind.
The Power of Intentional Action
It’s important to remember that reprogramming takes time. The first time you try this, it might not feel like much has changed. But with practice, you’ll notice that your baseline anxiety starts to decrease. And, eventually, you’ll find that you can face situations that once triggered your anxiety with more ease and presence.
As Mel Robbins says, “Intentionally act like the person you want to become. When you do this, your brain sees you taking those actions, and starts to change the way it relates to you.”
This isn’t about “faking it until you make it.” It’s about consciously choosing to act in ways that align with your true self, which over time will create lasting change in how you experience life.
Sending you calm and confidence on your journey,
~ Austen 🫶🏼
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