5 Calming Ways to Work with Anxiety (instead of Fighting It)

Anxiety can pop up at any time, whether it is a big event or a worst-case scenario. It is common for you and for those around you. For people with ADHD, it is often a co-existing condition that seesaws in intensity. There are ways to fight anxiety focusing on strategies on how to work with anxiety when it happens. Here are some practical management strategies to feel more in control.

Name what you are feeling

Awareness is the first step in managing anxiety. Naming it helps you reframe and shift from panic to problem-solving. As Brene Brown says, this gives you space between the feeling and your actions. You can respond with intention after this pause.

Create routines and structure

Anxiety thrives in unpredictability. When you create a daily routine, you are providing structure and stability. Knowing what’s coming next helps reduce mental clutter and overwhelm. Start small with set wake-up and wind-down times, or create a short morning routine you can stick to.

Get moving

A physical response to anxiety can help. You can take a walk, do deep breathing, or do a yoga pose. Movement supports emotional regulation, one of the executive functions in our brain, and helps focus on something different.

Write it down

Journaling is a powerful way to process anxious thoughts. You can do a brain dump, write a list of what’s stressing you out, or even keep a gratitude journal to shift your focus. Writing things down makes your inner world feel a little more m

Make a connection

Processing anxiety by verbal processing can help your clarity. That connection can be a friend, coach or therapist who can be a mirror to your processing without judgment. For many, this processing creates clarity and promotes problem-solving.

Be proactive about your strategies for anxiety. Create a routine that starts when anxiety starts. It can be a combination of strategies such as prayer or reciting a mantra. Prayer gives you a higher power to connect to. Mantras are recitations that support strength and resilience. My mantra is “things tend to work out.” With this mantra, I know that this moment of anxiety will pass. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support in moments of anxiety. There is so much support around you.

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