Practical Strategies for Navigating Anxiety

May 9, 2025

Written by Miranda Keene, LMHCA

Reviewed by Lauren Crockett, LMHC

Anxiety. It’s an experience we all know, but can be tricky to define. Whether it manifests as a persistent unease, a racing heart before a presentation, or the sudden, overwhelming surge of a panic attack, anxiety is a common thread in the human experience. It’s the mind and body’s way of signaling a perceived threat, a primal alarm system kicking into gear. But in our modern world, this alarm can sometimes become overly sensitive, triggered by worries that aren't immediate dangers, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and out of control.

Understanding anxiety is the first step towards navigating its complexities. It’s not simply a feeling of being worried; it’s a multifaceted state involving both psychological and physical responses. Mentally, anxiety can present as excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and a sense of impending doom. Physically, it can manifest as a racing heart, muscle tension, shortness of breath, sweating, and even gastrointestinal distress. These responses are our body’s way of providing a surge of energy, preparing us to face a perceived danger, whether real or imagined.

One of the most fundamental approaches to coping with anxiety is mindful awareness. Often, our anxiety is fueled by our resistance to the feeling itself. We tense up, try to push it away, or get caught up in a cycle of worrying about being worried. Mindfulness, on the other hand, encourages us to observe our anxiety without judgment, acknowledging its presence without getting swept away by its intensity.

This might involve simply noticing the physical sensations in your body – the tightness in your chest, the knot in your stomach – or acknowledging the thoughts that are swirling in your mind without engaging with them or trying to change them. By creating this space of observation, we can begin to detach from the immediate distress and recognize that anxiety, like any other feeling, is temporary.

Engaging your imagination can bring curiosity to your experience and help bring distance from it. For example, imagine you are the expanse of a bright blue sky peering down on the weather as it passes by. Just as a storm cloud passes by, so too will your anxiety. Even if the cloud cover is far as the eye can see, the sky is still there, unaffected and quietly observing.

It can also be helpful to think of your anxiety (or any emotion, really) as more like a wave in the ocean – it rises, crests, and eventually recedes. Learning to "surf" this wave, rather than resist it, is a great example of effective anxiety management.

If your anxiety shows up as a barrage of worried thoughts or rumination, can you imagine this barrage as a stampede of horses passing by? How about a parade passing by on the 4th of July? Or a marathon of runners?

Acceptance plays a crucial role in this. As paradoxical as it may sound, fighting against anxiety often amplifies its power. When we accept that anxiety is present, without labeling it as "bad" or trying to make it disappear immediately, we can reduce the secondary anxiety that comes from struggling against the feeling itself. 

Think of fighting anxiety like being caught in a riptide – the more you fight against the current, the more exhausted and overwhelmed you become. Acceptance, in this context, is about acknowledging the current and allowing yourself to be carried by it while looking for ways to eventually swim back to shore.

Breathing exercises are another powerful tool in an anxiety management toolkit. When anxiety kicks in, our breathing often becomes shallow and rapid, further fueling the body’s stress response. Conscious, deep breathing can help to counteract this. Simple techniques like box breathing (inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, hold for four counts) or diaphragmatic breathing (focusing on breathing deeply into your belly) can help to slow your heart rate, calm your nervous system, and bring a sense of grounding in the midst of anxiety. These techniques are portable, accessible, and can be used in the moment when anxiety starts to rise.

Engaging our senses can also provide immediate relief. When anxiety feels overwhelming, shifting your focus to your immediate surroundings can help to anchor you in the present moment. This might involve paying close attention to the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures around you. 

The "5-4-3-2-1" technique is a popular sensory grounding exercise: identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This deliberate engagement with your senses can interrupt the cycle of anxious thoughts and bring you back to the here and now.

Beyond these immediate coping strategies, lifestyle adjustments play a significant role in our overall resilience to anxiety. Ensuring adequate sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining a balanced diet can have a profound impact on our mood and stress levels. Exercise, in particular, has been shown to release endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. Limiting caffeine and alcohol, which can exacerbate anxiety symptoms, is also a crucial aspect of long-term management.

If your anxiety is persistent, overwhelming, or significantly impacting your daily life, reaching out to a therapist at Alignwell can provide you with tailored strategies and a supportive space to explore the root causes of your anxiety and develop more effective coping mechanisms. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offer evidence-based approaches to understanding and managing anxiety in the long term.

Anxiety doesn't have to define you. By understanding its nature and learning practical strategies for coping, you can begin to ride the waves of anxiety with greater skill and cultivate a greater sense of calm and control in your life. Reach out to be connected with a therapist at Alignwell for help navigating anxiety today.