If you’re eager to learn tips for managing anxiety, learn how to tame it as you would a misbehaving guard dog.
In the vast wilderness of our minds, anxiety roams like a well-intentioned guard dog, bred from generations of survival instincts.
This loyal companion, however, hasn’t quite adapted to the modern world, where threats are more psychological than physical.
Instead of helping us navigate real dangers, anxiety often ends up growling at shadows, mistaking every day worries for life-threatening situations.
Coming up I am going to explain how to train your anxiety as you would train a naughty guard dog – so your anxiety behaves better.
As a result, your anxiety will become a wiser protector of your happiness – instead of a daily troublemaker.
I’m sharing this guide on taming your anxiety because I’m a bestselling author on anxiety and leading Behavioral Change Coach – with about 2 million books sold globally.
Plus I founded the therapist recommended self-paced online program called The Anxiety Cure Course.
In fact the video I share below is a sneak peek – from inside my online course.
These 4 tips will help you to retrain your anxiety.
The first step is to become aware of when your inner guard dog (aka: your anxiety) is barking at an innocent stick – foolishly imagining it as a scary snake.
Cognitive distortion is a psychological term that means we perceive a situation as far worse than it actually is.
Unfortunately, cognitive distortion winds up triggering a lot of unnecessary anxiety.
For example...
Understanding that this exaggerated thought process is a common symptom of anxiety can empower you to challenge and reframe these distortions, reducing their power over your emotions.
Take time to ask yourself:
Communicate to your anxiety in the same way you would with a real dog.
Speak to your anxiety in a confident, warm way and tell it to calm down.
This approach uses a psychological tool called “cognitive dissonance” to your advantage.
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when you hold two conflicting beliefs at the same time – or when your actions don’t match up with our beliefs.
By consciously choosing to act and think calmly in moments of anxiety (by doing deep breathing, speaking confidently to yourself, or engaging in relaxing activities) – you create a dissonance in your mind – between the feeling of anxiety (the belief that you are in danger) – versus your calm reactions (which represent that you are safe and calm).
As a result, this dissonance prompts your brain to reassess the level of threat.
Basically, you can actually trick you inner guard dog (aka your anxiety) into calming down by telling it you are calm.
Visualization is a powerful tool for retraining your guard dog.
This mental imagery can help you control your emotional response to stress, making your internal guard dog a more peaceful companion.
Developing a deeper understanding of your anxiety can transform your relationship with it.
Consider journaling about your experiences and fears.
This can provide helpful insights into why your guard dog reacts the way it does.
Most importantly: Choose to stop viewing your guard dog as an adversary.
Instead see it as a protective force – that’s sometimes a little too eager.
This perspective shift can lead to greater compassion for yourself – and a more nuanced approach to managing anxiety.
The goal of this anxiety training isn’t to get rid of your inner guard dog completely. After all, anxiety, in its essence, is a protective mechanism that, when properly managed, can serve us well.
With patience, practice, and a bit of humor, you can learn to live harmoniously with your inner guard dog, making it a loyal companion that enhances your life rather than hindering it.
Work with me in 1 on 1 coaching to strengthen your mindset.
Plus explore my bestselling and therapist recommended audio and video program: The Anxiety Cure Course.
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