Just as anxiety can happen at any time in life, it’s possible to conquer anxiety at any time by using the stages of development. The previous two articles explored the fact that all human beings progress through distinct developmental stages, each with its own tasks and risks of failure and anxiety (Anxiety Can Happen at Any Age: Child and Teen Anxiety; Anxiety in the Adult Years: Anxiety Can Happen at Any Age). By understanding what our main developmental tasks are, we can use those stages of development to conquer anxiety at any time in life.

Even in times of great struggle with anxiety disorders, there are signs that tell you that you’ll beat anxiety. By definition, any anxiety disorder is something whose symptoms cause significant distress, interfere in one or more areas of life (such as work, family, or social functioning), is difficult to control, and endures over time, usually for at least six months but often longer.1 Anxiety in any form, then, can be daunting. But take heart: when you’re feeling thoroughly stuck, look within yourself for these five signs that you will indeed beat anxiety.

To feel anxious but know intellectually that you shouldn’t really be experiencing anxiety is an incredibly frustrating experience. This frustration can increase both stress and anxiety as well as decrease self-efficacy, the belief in ourselves that we have what it takes to overcome challenges like anxiety and meet goals. To stop feeling anxious even when you know you shouldn’t is easier said than done—hence the irritation that comes when someone tells you to “just stop being anxious”. There is a way to bridge the gap between feeling anxious and knowing you shouldn’t.

If you find yourself anxious in many different situations, especially those that relate to your performance, behavior, or relationships with others, you might consider the possibility that you have unrealistically high standards for yourself. It’s not uncommon for people to hold themselves to high standards, and doing so can be motivating. Impossibly high standards, though, can make people anxious and interfere in their lives (How Not to Expect Too Much from Yourself). If your own high standards are making you anxious, there’s a way to reclaim your life.

The idea of a plan to get out of bed despite anxiety might, at first, seem like the stuff of fairy tales. Like depression, anxiety can make it difficult to get out of bed (Waking Up with Anxiety. Why Can't I Just Get Out of Bed?). Any type of anxiety disorder can be life-limiting, causing people to want to, need to, remain in bed unable to deal with both themselves and the world around them. Despite how it may sometimes feel, you don’t have to remain a prisoner to anxiety. Try this specific plan to get out of bed and get going despite anxiety.

Self-care is a vital tool in reducing anxiety in general, and self-care becomes even more important when we can’t avoid our anxiety triggers (Triggers Can Make Anxiety and PTSD Flare Up). Anxiety triggers are those things—people, places, situations, or experiences—that increase the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety. Sometimes, avoiding triggers is helpful in managing anxiety; for example, if large groups of people make anxiety worse, it’s possible to manage that by meeting friends one-on-one rather than at a party. Other times, though, such a strategy isn’t possible. In times when you can’t avoid anxiety triggers, practicing self-care is incredibly helpful in dealing with anxiety.

It can be a tremendous challenge to reduce anxiety. Don’t be mistaken (and outsiders shouldn’t be mistaken, either); it is not your fault that anxiety hangs on and on and on. It’s not because you’re weak. You’re not making it up, and it’s not in your head. You’re not blowing things out of proportion or making mountains out of mole hills. To be sure, anxiety does magnify problems and worries and fears, but that is anxiety’s doing rather than something you are choosing to do (Anxiety and Over-Thinking Everything). You are not your anxiety. You, then, have the power to challenge anxiety to a showdown. Try this ten-day challenge to reduce anxiety.

Fitness bands are designed to improve an individual's physical fitness, but can fitness bands help improve anxiety and general mental health as well? When I purchased a fitness band a while back, it was with the intention of boosting my physical health and fitness level. Little did I know, this fitness band lower my anxiety and improve my mental health (The Effects of Physical Health on Mental Illness). 

Worrying about mistakes goes hand-in-hand with anxiety (Worry: How Much is Too Much?) and we need to learn to stop worrying over spilt milk. As irksome as they can be, mistakes are simply events, incidents in our lives, but they don’t need to become our lives, taking over our wellbeing. How we react to mistakes affects our mental health. To reduce anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder, it's important to stop worrying about mistakes.