Thanks for asking this question. I have and continue to deal with Anxiety in my life too. I think most people do, albeit in very different ways and for different reasons. There are a couple things I would suggest.

First of all, you need to face your anxiety head-on. I think most of us struggle with anxiety way more than we need to because we’re afraid to spend some time feeling stressed out, sad, angry, or whatever it is we need to feel. By pushing away negative emotions (and filling that space with anxiety) you are really hurting yourself. Sometimes you just need to sit down on the floor and hash it out with yourself. Be honest with yourself. Say, “I’m stressed out and this is why…”

Next you need to be okay with that. It’s okay to feel anxious! Spend some time with those feelings and let them be felt. If you’re anxious because you’re worried about something, maybe you need to let that out. Explain to yourself why you’re so worried and talk yourself through it. Most importantly, never blame yourself for feeling that way. There’s nothing wrong with you! So many of us are filled with anxiety. We all try to hide it, but it’s true.

If worse comes to worst, never hesitate to start seeing a therapist. You don’t have to have a serious mental illness to see a therapist! They can help more than you might expect. A professional ear (and one that doesn’t know you personally) can be very valuable. Sometimes talking to someone trained to listen is all you need. It’s helped me in the past and helped a lot of people I know.

Finally, I’d explore the question: Why do we have anxiety? There can be many reasons for it, but I find that it is often a confidence issue. Anxiety usually comes from a feeling of not being in control. To combat that feeling, I would suggest getting in touch with your inner warrior! There’s a version of you who is incredibly confident and ready to take on anything. At the end of the day, you can handle it. You can handle everything you’re afraid of. You’re just afraid of the unknown. What would happen if you took control? What would happen if you woke up each day, turned on some excellent music, and vowed to totally kick butt? At the end of the day, take a look at how it went and remember to be honest with yourself again. The next day will be better, but you have to start taking control of your mind.

Good luck.