Thinking About Anxiety as an Opportunity to Benefit Your Life

Is anxiety ever an opportunity rather than an obstacle? If you’re experiencing anxiety frequently, it is tempting to think of it solely as a negative, frightening experience. However, anxiety at its most basic level is a protective response that can help you adapt to threats in your environment. The next time you feel anxious, try developing a positive mindset about your anxiety by using it as an opportunity to improve.

Anxiety as an Opportunity: Considering the Benefits of Anxiety

• Learn more about yourself. Although it feels negative, your anxiety gives a very clear sense of what aspects of your life you're concerned about. By using anxiety as an opportunity for reflection, you can learn about your priorities and values, and better structure your life around them. 
• Overcome your fears. Anxiety can produce consistently frightening experiences that people generally want to avoid. However, instead of seeing your anxiety as an obstacle to face every day, you can think of it as an opportunity to practice working through something that scares you. When viewed this way, daily anxiety empowers you to practice resilience. 
• Develop confidence. Experiencing anxiety on a daily basis can make you feel like you are vulnerable, but it actually proves the opposite. Each day that you experience anxiety and move past it, you are becoming stronger and more capable -- your anxiety shows your ability to succeed despite adversity. 

By thinking about anxiety as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, you can learn more about yourself and improve your life in the process. What other ways have you used your anxiety to create positive change in your life? Comment below.