What if we’ve misunderstood anxiety all along? What if it’s not a malfunction, but a critical message, like a fire alarm we keep trying to silence by removing its batteries?

From Stillness to Overload

Picture this: you’ve just returned from a week in the countryside. You were meandering through a village, walking along a quiet stream. Your senses relaxed. Your body unwound.

Now you’re back. The airport is chaos. Police sirens blare. Someone bumps into you, then shouts at you. Your heart starts racing, and suddenly, there it is: The feeling you dread so much.

A few days later, you adjust. You match the speed of the city again. But let’s pause here. This isn’t a romanticised pitch for country living (it has its own stresses). Rather, it’s a reminder: our modern lives are relentless. There’s a daily sensory overload we rarely acknowledge. The question is: Is this pace sustainable?

Let’s hold that thought.

Anxiety as the Body’s Whisper

For those of us who have experienced anxiety, the symptoms are all too familiar: waking with a sense of dread, the day not yet begun, yet already feeling overwhelmed. It can strike when you least expect it—on holidays, in moments when you thought you were happy and at ease.

And then it hits: a sudden spike in heart rate, clammy hands, and the dreaded fear that this might spiral into a full-blown panic attack, a point of no return.

I know this intimately. I’ve lived with anxiety most of my life.

There’s no magic solution, no Instagram “3 steps to cure anxiety” trick. But there is hope. There are powerful ways to reduce its frequency and intensity.

One of the most profound is this: what if we stopped resisting our anxiety and started listening to it?

What if anxiety is a signal — our body saying, “Something’s not right. Please pay attention.”

Changing the Relationship with Anxiety

One of the most effective ways to manage anxiety is to acknowledge it. Ignoring or suppressing it usually backfires. That inner monologue of “Not now! I’m busy, I’m on holiday, this can’t be happening” only fuels it.

Instead, try meeting it with curiosity:
“Hello, anxiety. I see you. Thank you for trying to keep me safe.”

Name it, if that helps. Personify it. Then gently ask: What are you trying to tell me?

Often, anxiety is a sign that something needs attention:

• Overwork or burnout — Are you sleeping enough? Has work become overwhelming?  Are you not coping well and even feeling you are heading towards burnout? 
• Relationship issues — Is something unsaid or unresolved with your partner, children, or friends? 
• Neglected health — Is there a physical symptom you’ve been avoiding? A check-up you keep postponing? 
• Lifestyle choices — Poor diet, excessive alcohol, smoking cigarettes or marijuana or even hunger can trigger anxiety. Alcohol, in particular, is a major, well-documented contributor to anxious symptoms. 
• Unprocessed trauma — Sometimes, there’s no obvious external trigger. Anxiety can be the echo of past events, asking to be looked at and processed. 

The Power of Professional Support

Therapy or trauma-informed coaching can be life-changing. A trusted professional can help you explore the roots of your anxiety, offer tools to manage it, and, most importantly, give you a safe space where your feelings are valid.

Even just knowing you have a weekly session can bring relief. Over time, therapy can help uncover patterns, reduce the intensity of anxious thoughts, and restore a sense of control.

Is This Lifestyle Sustainable?

Today’s world runs at a pace our nervous systems were never designed for.

Anxiety rates — especially among younger generations — are soaring. The causes are layered: the pandemic, constant digital connectivity, social media comparison, WhatsApp pings at midnight, 24/7 news cycles filled with war and climate anxiety.

We’ve lost the pauses.
Where we once stared out of the bus window, letting our minds wander, we now scroll, checking emails, Instagram feeds, and doom-laden headlines.

Our attention spans are shrinking. We skim articles instead of reading them. We swipe past nuance in search of instant dopamine hits.

Ask yourself honestly:
Is the way I’m living sustainable?
Am I sleeping enough?
Do I need firmer boundaries with work or tech?
What needs less of my time, and what needs more?

A Little SOS List – Tending to Sudden Anxiety

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to anxiety. I know this because I’ve lived with it. I’ve tried just about everything—some things helped, others didn’t. What follows are a few practices that helped me. Maybe some will help you too.

1. Tend to your anxiety
   First and foremost, acknowledge it. Ignoring anxiety usually makes it worse. Say to yourself: “Yes, I feel you. I hear you. I will take care.”
2. Breathe
   This might sound simple, but it’s incredibly effective. Breathing has an immediate effect on your nervous system, activating the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) response. It helps release tension, lowers stress hormones, and floods your body with calming endorphins.
3. Spend time in nature
   Numerous studies confirm that being in nature reduces stress and anxiety. Take a walk in a nearby park. Notice the colours of flowers, the shape of leaves, and the sound of birds. On an anxious day, borrow a neighbour’s or friend’s dog. Animals can be powerful mood boosters, they are just unconditionally happy.
4. Consider therapy or coaching
   Therapy has been a game-changer for me. Understanding what’s behind your anxiety helps you manage it more skillfully, building awareness, self-compassion, and new tools.

Anxiety is not a pleasant feeling, but it’s your body’s way of asking for help, of alerting you that something needs care or change. When we listen, acknowledge, and respond with compassion, we can shift the experience from fear to understanding.

And in that space, healing begins.

Feature Image by Rubēn Sānchez. @Zoonchez