Expert shares 5 tips on how to transform your anxiety into a positive force

People often think they need to eliminate anxiety, but what if you can transform your anxiety into something great?

Anxiety has benefits, such as helping you take smart precautions, appreciate good things, and improve memory.

The key is managing anxiety levels and responses. While too much stress can be harmful, the right amount can provide significant strengths, according to neuroscience.

“Anxiety is this simple definition: that feeling of fear or worry that comes in situations of uncertainty,” said neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki during an interview with CNN‘s Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his podcast “Chasing Life.”

People often want to get rid of anxiety because it is unpleasant, says Suzuki, author of “Good Anxiety.”

However, she explains that anxiety is valuable, serving as a warning system that helps us recognize what is important in our lives. Without it, we would lose something essential.

Suzuki explained that anxiety evolved to protect us.

Long ago, a twig crack could signal danger, making our ancestors alert and ready to react.

Today, this same fight-or-flight response is triggered by watching the news or checking social media, which increases our heart rate and breathing.

Suzuki emphasizes the importance of managing these stress responses for our well-being.

Suzuki suggests the initial step in anxiety management is to lower your daily anxiety levels.

She provides five key tips to transform your anxiety into something useful:

1. Keep moving.

Suzuki recommended a brief walk, highlighting that just 10 minutes can significantly reduce anxiety and depression.

She noted that this activity stimulates the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and endorphins, which enhance feelings of reward and happiness.

She emphasized that each movement provides an immediate boost to brain chemistry.

2. Practice breath meditation.

Suzuki recommends breath meditation as a highly effective method for quick relaxation.

She also suggests box breathing—inhaling deeply for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four, and repeating—to calm both mind and body.

3. Convert worries into action.

Suzuki advises transforming worries into actionable steps to enhance productivity and reduce anxiety.

She suggests converting anxious thoughts into a practical to-do list before bedtime, allowing for better sleep.

Addressing these tasks the next day, she finds that anxiety can be channeled into a productive tool.

“I just say, ‘OK, I’m going to remember these things, so Wendy, you can go to sleep now.’ But the next morning, I went and took all those things that made me not sleep the night before, and I went to do something about them. … In that way, I make myself more productive. And I use my anxiety as the tool that it’s supposed to (be).”

4. Refocus your anxiety.

Suzuki encourages turning anxiety into personal growth opportunities by embracing uncertainty.

“In my life, uncertainty can be something that brings excitement and joy. Not all the time, but maybe you can take part of that and embrace it as something useful,” she said, echoing Deepak Chopra.

Suzuki values new experiences and learning, acknowledging that embracing uncertainty can lead to valuable personal growth, even though it’s beyond one’s control.

5. Support others.

Suzuki advised offering support to others experiencing anxiety by reassuring them they are not alone.

She suggested sharing a kind word, noting that this gesture can boost your mood by releasing dopamine.

Meanwhile, Suzuki advised that those with severe anxiety should seek treatment, while others prone to worry should learn these simple techniques to calm their anxiety, according to INC.

Once anxiety is manageable, Suzuki believes it can be turned into a positive force.

Suzuki claims her approach works universally, turning worry into productive actions.

“I haven’t been confronted with anything that it doesn’t work for,” she said.

She describes “good anxiety” as using stress energy to tackle tasks like studying, scheduling appointments, or seeking financial advice.

This approach not only reduces anxiety but also enhances productivity.

Watch Dr. Wendy Suzuki talk about how to transform your anxiety into your “superpower” through the video below:

Disclaimer: This article is for informational or entertainment purposes only. This is not a diagnosis or recommendation. Readers should consult professionals for personalized advice, and the author/publisher is not liable for actions taken based on the content.