16 'Little' Reminders You May Need If Anxiety Is Kicking Your Butt Today
On days you’re struggling with anxiety, it can be tough to remember the world is not ending and this will soon pass. Sometimes you might need “little” reminders to help get you through a tough anxiety moment.
When we say “little” reminders, we don’t mean phrases such as “just relax” or “calm down.” Those are comments most people don’t want to hear when they’re struggling. The reminders we’re referring to are supportive ones like:
You have overcome every single tough situation before this one, and you’ll get through this one too.
It’s OK not to feel OK right now.
You’re not alone in this.
We wanted to know what kinds of “little” reminders or pieces of advice people in our mental health community would give someone struggling with anxiety, so we asked them to share with us. Below you can see what they had to say.
If you ever need support through your anxiety or panic attacks, you can always connect with people in our community by posting a Thought or Question using the hashtag #CheckInWithMe. We are a community that cares.
Here’s what they shared with us:
1. ‘Today is just another day.’
“‘Today is just another day. Nothing more, nothing less. You can get through it because it’s just another day.’ It’s not supportive necessarily, but it’s my mantra every day and it works!” — Emily H.
2. ‘Take it day by day.’
“‘Take it day by day, moment by moment, problem by problem and breath by breath.’” — Tara W.
“‘One day at a time.’ That can even mean one second, one minute, one hour. Live in the now and focus on what’s happening then and there as the next day will have its own anxieties.” — Raechael A.
3. ‘Don’t believe everything your mind is telling you.’
“‘Not everything your mind tells you is true.’” — Janno C.
4. ‘Your feelings are valid.’
“‘Your feelings matter. You matter. Things do get better. Please talk to someone. I am living proof that this helps. Take a baby step towards healing and speak to someone.’” — Tina L.
5. ‘You will be OK.’
“‘Breathe. It will pass and you will be OK.’” — Mandi L.
“‘Everything will be OK. Things may be hard for you right now but you can overcome this and when you do, you will be stronger. Do what makes you feel better when your anxiety spikes. Whether it is listening to music, going fishing or just being by yourself. It’s OK to have time to yourself when you are trying to battle anxiety. It’s not easy, so don’t be hard on yourself. You are strong and you got this!’” — Heather R.
6. ‘You’re not alone.’
“‘You aren’t alone, as much as it might feel like you are.’” — Hayden L.
“‘You are not alone. You are loved.’ Now take a deep breath and repeat.” — Rachel G.
7. ‘Be kind to yourself.’
“‘Don’t be so hard on yourself.’” — Helen V.
8. ‘Allow yourself to feel your emotions.’
“Allow yourself to feel it, don’t try to deny it. Face it, name it, float through it and it ends.” — Jildiz J.
9. ‘Don’t take it out on others.’
“‘Don’t take it out on the ones who love you most.’” — Sergio E.
10. ‘You have overcome all of your tough situations before.’
“I remember something I read in one of my support groups, that the percentage of bad days I have managed to get through is 100%.” — Dina C.
“‘Remember the good times, remember the times you’ve overcome rough situations.’” — Makayla S.
11. ‘Take time for your anxiety.’
“‘Take time for your anxiety. Give yourself dedicated time to address your anxiety and take that time to reason out that you’re going to be OK. Because you are going to be OK.’” — Donna F.
12. ‘This feeling will go away soon.’
“‘As awful as it is now, it will go away. Stop trying to control it, that’s just gonna make it worse. Let it pass, learn to soothe yourself.’” — Alyx P.
“The most powerful thing I remind myself in the middle of my panic attacks is, ‘this is only temporary and will pass.’ This will fade and I will once again be in control. I will allow my body to rid my mind of this stress in this moment.” — Melanie J.
“‘You’re bigger than this moment. This moment, even though seems like it may never end, will pass.’ Also, with general anxiety, it’s an intense feeling, all-consuming even, but it’s ultimately an uncomfortable state of being. It doesn’t have to stop you from functioning and doing your day-to-day tasks. It takes practice and patience with yourself, but it is possible.” — Cassandra E.
13. ‘Having anxiety does not define you.’
“‘You are not less of a person because you have anxiety. Anxiety is a part of you, not all of you.’” — Katie S.
“‘Having anxiety does not define you. Always having these problems due to your anxiety does not define you. You and your actions define you. Nothing else.’” — Tracy W.
“‘The anxiety is not you. Your thoughts are not you. You are you, and you are loved.’” — Laura M.
14. ‘It’s OK not to be OK.’
“‘It’s OK to not be OK.’” — Beth C.
15. ‘You will feel better again.’
“‘Today will eventually come to an end and the anxious feelings will pass, you will feel better again and once you have, remember how you came out on the other side.’” — Noelle R.
16. ‘You are a warrior.’
“‘You’ve survived everything up to this moment. You will survive it again. You are a warrior.’” — Hillary H.
We hope these reminders help you on days you’re struggling to manage your anxiety. It can be a tough road to walk along, but the Mighty community is cheering you on. You’ve got this.
Check out the following stories for tips on how to cope with your anxiety and take care of yourself: