We all need a plan! Anxiety is often unpredictable, but your response to it doesn’t have to be. Experts in mental health emphasise that having a structured, pre-set plan in place is far more effective than leaving your coping strategies to chance. Rather than endlessly asking “Why am I anxious?”—which can deepen worry and rumination—research shows the most effective approach is action-based coping: knowing exactly what concrete steps to take when anxiety hits.
Stop Asking ‘Why?’: Interrupting the Anxiety Loop ❌🔄
While understanding triggers has its place, asking “why” in the moment tends to feed the anxiety loop instead of interrupting it. When you are anxious, your brain is already spinning, and questioning its own state only gives it more material to work with.
Author Britt Frank highlights that curiosity without action can make the mind spin; the brain will dwell on reasons instead of moving toward solutions. Dr. Russell Kennedy (The Anxiety MD) supports this, showing that people who follow pre-set, concrete coping strategies reduce panic and intrusive thoughts significantly compared to those who rely on self-questioning. The goal is to interrupt the feeling with a reliable, predetermined action.
Watch Steve Stavs Youtube Short: 📽️ Do you have an anxiety plan?
Build Your Personalised Anxiety Toolkit 🧰💪
A strong anxiety plan is built on practical, repeatable tools that directly target and regulate the nervous system. These are your foundational micro-actions for regaining control:
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Breathing Techniques: Use specific breathing exercises (like box breathing) to consciously engage the vagus nerve and regulate the nervous system.
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Mindful Movement or Grounding: Anchor yourself in the present with simple grounding exercises (naming objects you see, feel, and hear) or engage in light, mindful movement like a slow stretch.
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Pre-Determined Micro-Actions: Have a non-negotiable step ready, such as immediately starting a five-minute journal entry on a neutral topic or calling a specific support person.
Takeaway: Be Prepared, Outsmart Your Anxiety ✅
Anxiety is inevitable for everyone at times, but its impact doesn’t have to be paralysing. Developing a personal, action-focused plan equips you with the tools to interrupt the cycle, reduce overwhelm, and reclaim control. Waiting for answers or endlessly questioning “why” only keeps you stuck; structured strategies move you forward. It’s time to plan, act, and finally outsmart your anxiety.
For more actionable insights into developing your personal anxiety plan, watch this episode:
Your Anxiety Plan: Parts Work, Internal Family Systems, & Why Questions with Britt Frank
