Coping with Anxiety: Finding Steady Ground in Uncertain Times
Anxiety can show up in many ways — a racing heart, tense muscles, restless thoughts, or a feeling that something just isn’t right. It’s a normal human response to stress, but when it feels constant or overwhelming, it can be exhausting.
Coping with anxiety isn’t about making it disappear. It’s about learning how to meet it with understanding, calm your body, and steady your mind so you can move through life with more ease and clarity.
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety often develops as your body’s way of trying to protect you — it’s a natural response when life feels uncertain or overwhelming. Coping with anxiety begins with understanding that this reaction isn’t a flaw; it’s your nervous system’s way of signaling that something feels unsafe, even when no immediate danger exists.
Over time, that heightened alert state can leave you tired, tense, or on edge. The good news is that you can learn anxiety coping strategies that help retrain both body and mind. Through mindful awareness and calming practices, you can begin building emotional resilience — shifting from anxious reactivity toward steadier ground and a greater sense of calm and control.
Learning how to manage anxiety is a process of gentle retraining, not self-criticism. Each small step helps your body remember safety, and your mind rediscover balance.
Try This Grounding and Breathing Practice
When you notice anxiety rising, pause and take a slow, steady breath. Feel your feet on the floor and your body supported by the chair beneath you.
Try saying quietly to yourself:
“In this moment, I am safe.”
Repeat as you continue breathing slowly. This small reminder — paired with gentle awareness of your surroundings — can help your body recognize that the present moment is okay.
A Gentle Reminder…
Managing anxiety takes patience and compassion. Some days will feel easier than others — and that’s okay. Over time, learning how to soothe your body, calm your thoughts, and respond with care can help you feel more grounded and empowered, even when life is uncertain.
You may also enjoy
Grounding Techniques: Finding Calm When Life Feels Overwhelming
Mindful Breathing & Relaxation: A Simple Way to Find Calm
Further reading and resources
Godman, H. (2024, June 12). Life can be challenging: Build your own resilience plan. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/life-can-be-challenging-build-your-own-resilience-plan-202406123049
HelpGuide. (n.d.). Surviving tough times by building resilience. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/surviving-tough-times
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023, December 23). Resilience: Build skills to endure hardship. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/resilience-training/in-depth/resilience/art-20046311
Rovena Sondhaus, MA, LMHC, CTP
Sondhaus Counseling Services, LLC
