What is Anxiety?

Anxiety isn’t weakness – it’s ancient wiring.
It’s your body’s alarm system, built to keep you alive.

Back in caveperson days, you’d hear a rustle in the bushes – could be wind, could be a tiger.
Before you even think, your brain’s alarm – the amygdala – fires.
Heart racing, breath quickening, muscles tightening.
That’s the first-line alarm response – your body’s survival system doing its job.

Fast forward to today: no tigers, same brain.
Now the “threat” might be a deadline, a tough conversation, or a worrying thought – not dangerous in the way a tiger is, but the same alarm can still fire.

Think of anxiety like a smoke alarm.
Sometimes there’s a real fire – an immediate, identifiable danger.
Other times it’s burnt toast – a false alarm.
Either way, the alarm sounds the same.

Then comes the second-line appraisal – the thoughts about the alarm:
‘Why am I feeling like this?’
‘What if it never stops?’
‘I just want this feeling to go away!’
‘This feeling is dangerous!’

That’s where everyday anxiety can escalate – not because the alarm went off, but because of how we interpret and react to it.
When we label the sensation as unsafe, the body listens – the alarm gets louder… and louder… and louder. (That’s panic.)

Our brains crave certainty – they love 100%.

But life doesn’t work that way – there are no guarantees.

Anything less can feel unsafe.

So we worry, check, and overthink, trying to close the gap.

The real skill? Learning to act with 70–90% certainty – and letting the rest stay unknown.

You can’t stop the alarm from sounding, but you can change how you respond.
If it’s a real fire, you’ll be bloody grateful for your body’s automatic response – heart racing, adrenaline pumping, ready to act.
If it’s just burnt toast, pause, breathe, and remind yourself you’re safe – let the alarm ring without sprinting out of the house every time.
That’s the work: knowing when to act, and when to let the alarm pass.

Change how you think → change how you feel.
‘What if I mess this up?’ → ‘I might – and I can handle it.’

Change what you do → change how you feel.
Avoidance brings relief now but teaches the brain, ‘That really was dangerous.’

Do the small, uncomfortable thing – confidence grows from reps (that’s habituation).

Regulate your body.
Try controlled breathing (box breathing, longer exhale), a physiological sigh (two short inhales through the nose, one long exhale through the mouth), isometric holds, or progressive muscle relaxation.
Signal sent: ‘All good – we’re safe.’

Move.
Exercise steadies the nervous system. Doesn’t have to be perfect – just consistent.

You can’t eliminate anxiety – we all experience it.
But you can change your relationship with it.
It’s not about feeling calm all the time; it’s knowing you can handle the discomfort (and yes, it can be bloody uncomfortable) when it comes.