Anxiety is, fundamentally, an activation of protective instincts. If you think you’re going to enter a lion’s den tomorrow, it makes sense to prepare yourself to defend against lions. In order to be well prepared, your body activates the same survival instincts it would activate if the danger were actually here and now. Your body and mind practice what to do. Sometimes, this preparation can be really helpful. It can help us avoid or survive dangerous or difficult situations. It can help us come up with a plan. When it’s working well, it feels productive and empowering.

We get stuck when we feel powerless (the cause of the anxiety is something beyond your control, so the survival instincts are active but unable to prepare in useful ways, so a loop begins of rumination on possible future - survival instinct activation - heightened fear response because there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do about it- rumination, on and on). Sometimes the future thing that’s out of your control is real (like not being able to control an election outcome), and sometimes it’s imagined (like an unfounded fear that a partner will break up with you). Either way, the anxiety is your body and mind trying to protect you from some future harm.

Anxiety sucks. It’s not fun. It makes sense to try to avoid it or stop it or escape it. We’re surrounded by things that help us do try to do that: alcohol, doom scrolling, snacks, binge watching… but whenever we stop avoiding it, the anxiety is still there, still desperately trying to save us from future pain or unmet needs. If we can instead befriend anxiety, open up a little space for it, we can learn a little bit about why it’s here and what it’s trying to do, and sometimes that opens a door to shift something about the experience.

Let’s dive into journaling! Our goal here is to explore the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations that come up with this anxiety. If you feel anxiety about multiple things, pick one, and ideally pick something that feels like a mild anxiety to practice with so that it isn’t overwhelming.

I like to start by writing an acknowledgement- something like “Hi anxiety. I see you trying to protect me and I’m here to listen.” Feel free to write anything that comes to mind. If it feels silly, that’s ok. You don’t have to keep it or show it to anyone.

Next, write down the thoughts. Whatever it is you’re ruminating on. It’s fine if you know logically that it isn’t true or if it sounds ridiculous to say it out loud. The goal isn’t to make sense here, the goal is to get that wild thought out of your head and down onto paper. You can write “I know this doesn’t make sense but…” if it helps you write out the most outlandish stuff rattling around in your brain.

After you’ve got the thoughts out, move into the emotions. When you let your mind run, writing down all the thoughts, what did you feel? Or what would future you feel if this came true? Anger? Sadness? Fear? Something else? You can look at this feelings list if you’re having a hard time finding words. It’s ok to guess if you’re not sure.

Now move into the body. What are the sensations? This part is hard for some people, so go easy on yourself. Try to come up with at least 3 sensations. The body sensations list can give you ideas. You’re going to write both a sensation word and a body part- “I feel icy in my feet” for example. If you really can’t feel anything, write that down. It’s information. Then pick a body part that feels pretty safe- maybe your left pinky finger- and see if you can match a sensation word from the list to that body part. Just now when I tried it, I felt buzzing in my left pinky finger. There’s no right or wrong answers.

Lastly, write down the questions “Does my body want to move”, “What do I need right now”, and “What is this anxiety telling me?” It’s ok if you don’t have answers right away. Start with the first question. Maybe your body wants to run, or dance, or shake, or wiggle your fingers and toes. Let it move. After the movement feels complete, move onto the next question. If you don’t know what you need, write that down, and hold the question as you go on with your day. If you have an idea but it seems like the need is too big and impossible, write it down anyway. If you have a “I don’t know, maybe I need…” write that down. If it’s possible, work on meeting whatever needs come to mind, moving in the direction of meeting them, or acknowledging how big the need is and how unfair it is to not get it met right now. Then write down anything you notice about what the anxiety is telling you. It might be things about a relationship, about your childhood, your habits and patterns, your values and what is important to you, or about what you need.

I wish I could tell you that this would make your anxiety evaporate, but it probably won’t. With practice, it will make it easier to sit with anxiety compassionately, and bring curiosity to your experience. It’ll help you uncover parts of yourself that deserve to be seen and nurtured. You’ll see things that you can shift, things that you need, and places where you get stuck. All of that doesn’t make anxiety more fun (and unfortunately for me, it isn’t making the election happen faster or feel less ever present) but it does start to shift the relationship with anxiety and with the most tender parts of ourselves, and that’s a journey worth taking.

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