51 Ways To Destroy Anxiety

I’ve struggled as a secret anxiety fighter for many years, in fact ever since I was 10 years old. Talk about being trained and vetted as a secret agent at a young age! What’s this world coming to if even kids are asked to train and fight anxiety like James Bond vs. Goldfinger?!

Now, I’m a seasoned and very suave (yeah right!) James Bond-esque anxiety agent who wields cool spy gadgets, tips and tricks that can help diffuse dreaded anxiety bombs. Here are 51 ways to make sure the good guy/gal always wins. (I throw you the secret list as I jump from one building to the next while an anxiety bomb explodes in a huge fireball behind me and yes, my well pressed suit is still in perfect condition, natch!)

1. Try Magnesium Citrate. It’s been shown to reduce anxiety in some people.
2. Eat a Banana everyday (they contain magnesium and GABA).
3. Carry a small notebook, when anxiety arises, write down how you feel. Distract yourself!
4. Listen to meditation/relaxation music. Have headphones with you at all times.
5. Practice meditation. Read a book on how to meditate. (Get Some Headspace by Andy Puddicombe is a good option) 
6. Exercise (at least 3x per week, 30 minutes of cardio per session). Exercise banishes the jitters!
7. Try self-therapy (buy a therapy book and work through it).
8. Try deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing makes it very difficult to clench your muscles in anxiety.
9. The voice in your head doesn’t always want the best for you. Fruitless thought is just that, fruitless.
10. Everyone experiences anxiety. It’s normal. Be prepared to accept some level of anxiety into your life.
11. Be willing to experience your own life fully. You are alive! It is a gift!
12. Put life goals before your anxiety. Be resourceful, you can find a way to have it all.
13. Don’t let your thoughts control you. You don’t need to agree or argue with them. Let them pass.
14. Happiness doesn’t mean your life is free of difficulty. Happiness is acceptance in this moment.
15. Talk to someone, find a friend who also has anxiety. Learn together. Help each other.
16. Eat a healthy diet. What we put into our bodies is important and can change how we feel.
17. Get plenty of sleep. Anxiety feeds on exhaustion. Learn about setting up a nighttime ritual.
18. Keep a journal. Writing down thoughts often removes them from your head.
19. Limit alcohol. A hangover (even an easy one) can increase anxiety.
20. Let go of your efforts to control. Control is impossible in this world.
21. Don’t hold yourself to impossible standards. You are human. You are fallible.
22. Realize that the more you fight against your anxiety, the more you will experience.
23. Be gentle with yourself. No one is perfect.
24. Find inspirational quotes. Keep them on your phone or in your notebook for reference.
25. Live in the now. It’s far better than living in your mind.
26. Anxiety, plus the unwillingness to feel any anxiety creates suffering.
27. Say your thoughts out loud, expressing them gives them less power.
28. You are not your thoughts, you are the awareness behind your thoughts.
29. Remember: This too shall pass. No moment lasts forever.
30. Go outside, ground yourself to the earth, clear your mind.
31. Avoid caffeine. The effects of caffeine can mimic a panic attack.
32. Distract yourself with a book, a friend, a movie, a project, a passion.
33. Talk to a therapist. They can help point out flaws in your thinking patterns.
34. Learn to accept your anxiety when it occurs. Don’t fight it. You are not at war against yourself.
35. Accept the things about your life that you cannot change.
36. Make plans about the things you can change.
37. Don’t be afraid to share your struggles. Sharing promotes understanding and empathy.
38. Avoid avoidance. Attempt to tackle your fears with a trusted friend. Go slowly. Be patient.
39. Schedule down time. Don’t over extend yourself.
40. Remember, you are a free agent, always. Free to come and go as you please.
41. Plan easy escape routes for events that give you anxiety.
42. Find the good things in your life. Focus on what you are thankful for.
43. Many anxious people are also creative. Find a creative task that makes you happy.
44. Read about anxiety. Realize you are not alone and find comfort. Anxiety is a struggle for millions of people.
45. Don’t let the little voice inside your head make you feel badly about yourself.
46. Look forward toward opportunities and hope, don’t look back at failures.
47. Take each day, each task, each event as it comes.
48. Worrying is fruitless. It is an activity of the mind that changes nothing about the real world.
49. Give yourself a break. Give yourself a hug. Give yourself permission to be human.
50. Realize that everyday is different. Some days you will be more anxious than others. Take advantage of less anxious days.
51. Try an anti-depressant. You will likely find some relief that can help get your life back on track.

Now take these gadgets, buy yourself an Aston Martin, shake yourself a martini and destroy your evil arch-nemesis anxiety!

Last Updated on February 27, 2024