Understand that anxiety, like other habits, is formed by a trigger, a behavior (like worry), and a result (like temporary distraction or feeling of control), which can be unwound.
Identify and write down your specific anxiety or worry-related habit loops, noting the trigger, the behavior (e.g., worrying, avoiding), and the perceived result.
Separate the physical sensations of anxiety from the mental behavior of worrying, as worry is a behavior that can perpetuate anxiety habit loops.
Recognize that worrying is not helpful and can actually impair your ability to think and plan effectively, making things worse by shutting down the prefrontal cortex.
Use awareness to clearly see the true reward value of a behavior; by paying attention to the actual outcome, your brain updates its perception of how rewarding that behavior truly is.
When you find yourself worrying, pause and ask yourself what you are truly gaining from this behavior in the present moment and if it’s genuinely solving the problem you intend it to.
Choose to be curious about your anxiety and other experiences, as curiosity is an intrinsically rewarding mental state that feels better and opens you up, unlike anxiety which feels closed down.
Once you recognize an old habit is unrewarding, actively seek out a ‘bigger, better offer’ – an intrinsically rewarding alternative that genuinely feels better.
Engage in ‘interest curiosity’ by exploring the present moment and the joy of discovery, rather than ‘deprivation curiosity’ which seeks to fill an information gap and can feel closed down.
Recognize that simply being present and exploring sensations through mindfulness can be the ‘bigger, better offer’ compared to unrewarding habitual behaviors like binging, leading to a sense of ease and balance.
Observe if you are resisting or trying to fix your anxiety; instead, try to simply be with and accept the feelings, as resistance can perpetuate them.
When facing challenges and discomfort, choose to be open and curious rather than locked down by anxiety and uncontrolled worry, monitoring when you lapse into unhelpful patterns.
Acknowledge uncertainty by seeking trusted information, but then practice letting go when answers are unavailable, becoming comfortable with being uncertain.
When anxiety arises, prioritize bringing in mindfulness practices in that moment to work with the feeling, rather than trying to intellectually think your way out of it.
Begin with and prioritize informal mindfulness practices throughout your day (short moments many times) as research suggests they are highly effective, especially for those just starting.
Integrate brief moments of mindfulness throughout your day, such as noting physical sensations of anxiety or taking a mindful breath, rather than needing to stop for formal meditation.
Learn about basic brain biology and psychology, such as the comfort zone versus growth zone, to help identify and work with habitual patterns as they arise in the moment.
When dealing with current issues, direct your energy towards observing ‘what’ is happening in the present moment rather than getting caught up in ‘why’ it’s happening, as the present is where change can occur.
When faced with a craving or old habit, mentally project the full consequences of engaging in that behavior, drawing on past experiences to see its true unrewarding nature.
Employ awareness to clearly perceive the unrewarding nature of habitual reactions, allowing you to navigate life without constantly being driven by desires or aversions.
Understand that mindfulness and awareness are not about forcing ‘good’ behaviors, but rather about orienting your brain to recognize and choose what genuinely feels better and is intrinsically rewarding.
Cultivate love, kindness, and compassion, as these practices share the core quality of opening up and expansion, which is a key aspect of mindfulness and helps move away from contraction.
When experiencing anxiety, remind yourself, ‘Oh, that’s how my brain works,’ to foster compassion for your brain’s protective mechanisms and help it relax out of its rut.
Recognize that anxiety does not improve performance; instead, it hinders the optimal functioning of your prefrontal cortex, which is essential for thinking and planning.
Strive for a ‘flow’ state for optimal performance, characterized by effortlessness and freedom from worries, as this is where peak performance occurs without anxiety.
View flow as a continuum and actively engage in practices that help you open up, as this moves you towards the flow state, away from contracted or closed-down experiences.
Before engaging in formal meditation, understand its purpose by mapping out mental loops and observing push-and-pull dynamics in everyday contexts, which will enhance awareness during formal practice.
While not strictly required, formal meditation practices can significantly deepen your mindfulness and awareness over time.
Extend the practice of mapping habit loops (trigger, behavior, result) to other behaviors like overeating, drinking, or excessive Netflix use, especially those used as distractions from anxiety.
After experiencing acute stress or fear, learn from animals to ‘shake it off’ physically or mentally, allowing the experience to pass without leading to chronic anxiety.