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The Anti-Anxiety Formula

Checklist

Unpleasant feelings are a part of our daily lives. They are there
to teach us a lesson. Once we’ve learned our lesson, they often
move on, but might come back with another lesson later. As a
result of these experiences, you’re likely to feel sad and stressed.
These are perfectly normal emotions to go through from time to
time. Everyone feels low and apprehensive about something or
the other at some point in their lives.

But when these unpleasant emotions begin to consume you, then

you must act before it’s too late. This checklist will run you
through the simple tips and techniques to help manage and
overcome your anxiety.

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 Chapter 1: You and Your Anxiety:
How to Overcome Your Stuck Points

Anxiety can creep up on you in many ways from physical and

behavioral symptoms that are obvious to subtler symptoms that
mess with your emotional and cognitive state of being. Yet, each
time, it can leave behind a somewhat similar and familiar feeling
- the feeling of being a little more lost, battered, and alone. Let’s
look into the personality concepts that will help you understand
how your anxiety works.

The Multifaceted You

Now, you cannot understand the average anxious person to

understand your anxiety. You don’t need to either. You need to
understand the many dimensions within which you and your
anxiety exist. Once you start identifying these dimensions which
are mostly characterized by triggers and symptoms, you’ll be able
to work around them, and in time, overcome them too.

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Understanding Your Anxiety and What It Is
Doing to You

Anxiety on the inside can affect what you do and how you act on
the outside. And so, if you were to observe your mind and body
carefully, you might be able to notice some signs, behavioral and
physical, that can tell you what your anxiety might be doing to
you. For instance, an anxious person might be dealing with
several conflicting and apprehensive thoughts. The internal
noise and fear that reverberates inside might make them appear
tired, withdrawn, and/or nervous.

Reflecting upon Your Triggers and Identifying

Beliefs That are Standing in Your Way

If you could follow an anxious mind, you might see patterns of

unfavorable thoughts that keep playing on and off. These
thoughts might be triggers to the anxiety itself, and so addressing
them is very important. A clinical technique called imagery
exposure, used in therapy, can help address the triggers as well
as identify their sources.

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This Is the Start

Now, this is a gradual process and is the first step to addressing

your anxiety. Once you know what’s causing your anxiety, you
can, in time, find ways to manage or overcome it.

Mindfully Moving Beyond the Beliefs Blocking

Your Path

To be able to solve problems, you must think realistically,

coherently, without any chatter. And unfortunately, when
anxious, our mind can get tied up in its contemplation wheel and
fail to work on more productive and purposeful things.

Where to Next?

At this point, you should pat yourself on the back. You’ve made
progress and are a step closer to understanding and managing
your anxiety. Take a moment to pause now and then. Stay in the
present. This is your reality.

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 Chapter 2: Your Mind, Your Body:
How to Face Your Inner Demons

You probably experience anxiety in one form or the other, but

don’t know where those feelings come from. This is completely
normal and is a sign that you are ready- ready to understand the
origins of your anxiety and ready to work your way around and
overcome it. Let’s learn how to address your mental and physical
battles while digging deeper into the source of your anxiety - your
inner demons so to speak.

Putting Events, Emotions, and Vibrations

Together

The confusion and anxiety you feel today could be the result of
seeds planted in your past. And so, dwelling into your past, into
memories that you perhaps would otherwise like to avoid and

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forget or have consciously erased from your mind, can help piece
together the source of your anxiety.

Imagining the Worst

Life can be rough sometimes. Bad things can happen without a

plan and then can leave behind a sense of lasting pain and fear.
But sometimes, our mind can fantasize about things that never
happened and probably might never happen too. These things
can be our biggest fears. We can imagine catastrophic events and
jump to the worst possible conclusions with no reason or logic.
And so, by doing that repeatedly, you live the experience that
many times (because your mind and body might not be able to
differentiate real from the imaginary world).

Self-Blame. Self Loathe. All of it.

Rachel suffers from constant worry and anxiety. Some she says
are the result of the busy life she leads. She wakes up at 5 am
every day, travels an hour to reach work, is constantly rushing
through meetings and deadlines, takes another hour to reach

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home at 8 pm, cooks and finishes her dinner, prepares for the
next day before she can go to sleep at 11 pm.

Sometimes things get rough, her anxiety kicks in as a result of

her worst imagination. Here’s how she says her mind plays out
events when that happens: As a result, she blames and hates
herself.

Connecting Them with Your Mind and Body

Remember, you can manage and even overcome your anxiety by

learning to feel better with introspection. Ask yourself as many
questions about your anxiety. Persist because deep down, you
have and know the answers. Observe your relationship with your
feelings, thoughts and your body’s responses to them. Track
them and talk yourself to a better, calmer, and panic-free state of
mind. Yes, you can!

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 Chapter 3: Overcoming Resistance
to Change

Being watchful, precautious and reflective while taking your time

to do important things might have their advantages, but if your
habit is inching more towards procrastination, then it could be
that you are resistant to change. And frankly speaking, you are
not alone. Most people, in some way or the other, are resistant to
change because of the level of uncertainty it brings with it.

Recognizing Any Resistance to Change

Some get so lost and stuck up in the cycle of anxiety that they fail
to recognize the scope for change, for a better life. While most of
these thoughts are indeed assumptions, they can become the
very beliefs that stand in the way of what you want to achieve.

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Belief-Systems That Stop You from Acting on a
Change

 It’s better to be realistic and accept my shortcomings. I’m not

going to change. I know that.
 I’m not as good as the others. Surely, I can’t compete with
them.
 I don’t want to ask for help. It will make my weaknesses
obvious and then everyone will know.
 I don’t think anyone cares. No one will help me.
 I messed up when I could have made things better. That was
my only chance. I can’t do anything now and must settle for
what comes my way.

Self-Sympathy. Self-Loathe. Anxiety. Depression.

 I am helpless. No one cares and no one will help

 I’ve been misunderstood and mistreated all my life. No one
changed for me. So why should I change?
 They don’t realize that I don’t like being this way, that I have
no choice.
 This is so unfair

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 Oh, forget it. I’m hopeless. I hate myself.
 People will mock me. They already are. I know it and I want to
hide.
 There is no point. I can’t see any purpose in my life.
 I’m so alone and I want to cry

What Do You See?

The more checks you have, the more you are resistant to change.
You can change right now, or you can try and fail and try again.
Both are normal and positive outcomes. Keep at it because the
harder you try and the more you persist, the more likely you’re
going to become the change.

Re-writing Your Life - One Change at a Time

Our minds are capable of wonderful things. They can envision a

beautiful life. Use this to advantage. Talk to your mind. Listen to
it too. Establish a relationship with it and once it feels heard and
starts responding, teach it to create positive and inspirational
thoughts for you.

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 Chapter 4: Reflection: How to
Arrive at Acceptance and Move on
From There

This process isn’t easy. It isn’t quick too. But we guarantee that
the rewards are long-lasting and worthy. The first step to this
process is to monitor your body’s responses to events that bring
on your anxiety.

Once you are physically aware of what your body is going

through, you can track your feelings and observe their
relationship with each other. Finally, we show you how to
become more aware of your present state of mind. We show you
how to accept it and move on from there.

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Understanding Your Body Signals

Daisy is a bit taken aback when her doctor diagnoses her with
anxiety. Her doctor suggests she spend more time listening to
her body and so she tries to understand her body signals by
writing down unpleasant physical sensations as she experiences
them. What she discovers over a week surprises her. She realizes
she is experiencing some of the tell-tale signs of anxiety. She
decides to take control of it and with the guidance of her doctor
starts tuning in to find a way out of her dilemma.

Minding Your Moods

After you become more aware of your body’s signals, you might
be able to connect them with your changing moods. Track your
moods every day for a week.

Rehabilitating Your Thoughts

Now that you’ve spent a little time with your mind and body, you
might have a fair idea of what they’re trying to tell you. This

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understanding will only get deeper and more intuitive as you
understand yourself and your anxiety better (and you’ll get there
as you keep working on the worksheets).

Finding Acceptance

Now, it’s time to move on to the phase of acceptance. And to get

there, you must first unearth and remove any distorted thought
patterns that might be stopping you from moving on.

What Are Distorted Thought Patterns?

Distorted thoughts are thoughts that are disconnected and

different from reality. They are thoughts you tell yourself to avoid
reality.

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Assessing Your Present and Preparing a Plan for
the Future

Now that you know your pitfalls and the stuck points that are
stopping you from moving ahead, accept them, without guilt or
resentment (it makes the process of letting go of them easier).
Face your problems and take action to change it. Assess your
responsibility and determine your next steps.

Connect with Now

Ask yourself:

 Where are you now?

 Where do you want to be?

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 Chapter 5: Acting against Angst:
How to Act on Your Fears and
Achieve Your Goals

If introspection and mindfulness can help you understand the

origins and outcomes of your anxiety, changing your behavior
can help you overcome it. By setting goals, you can change your
narrative. And by changing what you do, you can change the way
you feel.

Evading Avoidance

If you experience fear and anxiety, you probably avoid the things
that make you feel uncomfortable. For instance, if you don’t like
crowds or if socializing makes you feel anxious, then you may
choose to avoid crowds, like going out on a holiday or shopping
during peak times.

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Acting against Your Fears

Congratulations. You’ve completed the first step. You’re doing

great. Now that you’ve zeroed in on your fears and where they
come from, you can create a plan to overcome them.

Begin the Process

 Create and Execute Your Plan
 Consider Every Aspect That Might Influence, Conflict or
Jeopardize Your Plan
 Be Mindful of Any possible Setbacks, But Don’t Let Them
Wear You Down
 No Need to Hurry
 Know When You’ve Tried Too Long
 It’s Okay to Fall. Fail Too
 Realign Your Plan. Improvise Too
 Complete What You’ve Taken
 Become a Better Version of You

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Chapter 6 - Navigating Self-Imposed
Obstacles: How to Stop Being a
Hard Task Master

The general perception is that people with anxiety live too far in
the future. They worry about what might happen the next
moment, the next day, next week, next year, but struggle to stay
in the present. They fear the unknown and so spend a large part
of their time searching from cues from the future.

Moving Ahead of Any past Pain Memories

When something unpleasant happens to you, it is only natural to

do everything you can to avoid going it again. Outwardly, this
makes sense, and it is healthy to learn from our experiences
(good or bad) and move on.

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Overcoming Obsessions

Obsessions are repeated unwelcome thoughts, images or

impulses that force a person to act on them. These thoughts can
soon become the reason you worry all the time, in turn, creating
a breeding ground for your anxiety.

Knowing When You Need Help

Plenty of people experience minor obsessions in one form or the

other and that’s completely ok. Obsessions might cause no
problem. But if your repeated thoughts and actions begin to
infringe/violate on yours and society’s belief systems, then it can
become a serious problem. We suggest you seek medical help
then.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can cause a great deal of

emotional discomfort. It can also consume a considerable
amount of time of the person living with it.

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New Beginnings

Love yourself and feel good about everything you are going to do
in the future. The happier and more content you stay within
yourself, the more your brain recognizes your happiness to stay
away from any unpleasant obsessions/compulsions as a reward.
Also, you are likely to feel less anxious too.

Focus on the Positives

Remember that every mistake made is a lesson well-learnt. Take

the positives out of the outcome and push further. Staying
motivated is all about staying positive and optimistic. Draw
inspiration from people who’ve made a difference in your life.
Read plenty and draw inspiration from other achievers.

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 Chapter 7: Preventing Burnout:
How to Overcome Your Anxiety
without Getting Tied-Down by the
Idea of Perfection

Setting Real Expectations

So, you’ve understood the origins of your anxiety and are

working on your goals. You’re also in the process of working on
any obsessions and stuck points you might have to come across
in the way. The ideal scenario is that you enjoy your progress and
learn from any lessons and setbacks. You take everything in
stride and don’t get too influenced by it.

But sometimes, this can be easier said than done, especially for a
person dealing with anxiety. Sometimes, their anxiety-driven
expectations can get in the way.

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Perfectionism and Borrowed Expectations

Setting expectations while chasing goals is a great way to ensure

you complete everything that you’ve set forth for yourself. But if
those expectations aren’t stemming from your needs, and are, on
the contrary, based on what others believe is right, then you’re
more likely to be living someone else’s life. The dreams aren’t
yours and the pursuit, although committed by you, may feel
disconnected in some way. Finally, the success (if you manage
the conviction to get there) won’t be rewarding enough.

Leaving No Room to Pause. Falter Too

As a result, you may end up feeling that you haven’t done enough,
aren’t good enough. You’re likely to work harder, chase farther,
with no room to pause. Falter too. You’ll always want to feel more
because everything that you feel in your pursuit of living other’s
dreams may not mean as much to you. Unrealistic and borrowed
expectations is considered a risk factor for developing anxiety
problems.

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Avoiding Comparisons

A common obstacle while making personal and transformative

changes is social comparison. You cannot compare yourself to
others when it comes to creating an agenda that works for you
(well, you can, but it won’t be helpful). A schedule that feels
convenient and right for someone else might not be right for you.

Change Everything If You Have To, but Change

Them One Thing at a Time

Changes in how you feel are going to come from making a

mixture of external changes (such as changes in how you spend
your time) and internal changes (such as what you think and
believe).

 Reflect on your narrative. What part of it do you need to

change?
 What do you need to do to act out the change?
 Make a list of steps to get there.
 Start working on them, one step at a time.

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Fear of Feedback

At large, feedback endorses progress. Used constructively, it can

help people improve. However, that might not necessarily be the
case all the time or for all people, especially anxious people.
Anxious people mostly avoid it because of the additional layer of
expectation and criticism it can put on them. Most anxious
people already feel stifled by all their compulsions, obsessions,
expectations, perfectionism. Another lay may not help.

Reward Yourself. You’ve Made Great Progress

After you’ve worked on a task you’ve been avoiding, allow

yourself to enjoy the fruits of your labor by taking time to
appreciate yourself, doing something you like to do. Choose
rewards that can help you progress from where you are.

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 Chapter 8: You’ve Got This: How to
Banish Worry and Live Panic-Free

Here are some quick-fixes and effective tips that can get you up
and about when you’re not quite your usual-happy self.

Simplify

If you’ve been practicing the worksheets presented in this book,

you might have a better idea of how your anxiety plays out. You
might also know the handful of issues that trouble you - the ones
that still creep up on you when you least expect them to. Here
are some quick, but effective tips to keep them down and out of
your way for longer periods.

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Anti-Anxiety Formulas
 Breathe
 Exercise
 Express Yourself. Talk It Out or Journal Your Thoughts
 Listen to Music
 Spend Time with Pets
 Give Your Mind Something More Productive to Chew On
 Stay in the Present
 Your Anxiety Your Journey
 You Decide. Ready or Not?

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