I did a little activity this weekend after a friend said something that got me thinking.
They said, “Anxiety is a signal to ourselves that we need to fix something.”
I guess I’d never really thought about anxiety like that, so I sat down to think it through.
First, I brainstormed the things that sort of stirred up anxiety in me. This weird and varied list wasn’t long, but it surprised me since it included everything from having anxiety around the idea of doing my first bike race in 20+years to thinking about how to handle an awkward financial situation.
But in every case, it wasn’t the actual situation that made me anxious.
It was the idea of not addressing it—of not doing the things I should do to be successful or to solve the problem.
It was the idea of inaction.
You know, fear of the unknown is real. It’s wired into us. It tells us: “Hold up. Wait. Don’t make the wrong move.”
But here’s the thing—inaction is a choice that we make.
There are all sorts of things in the world right now that could make us pause … Political uncertainty. Tariffs. Changing consumer behavior. Tight budgets.
But fear thrives in the pause.
So don’t let it.
Here are some ideas I came up with to take a step forward, when that fear or anxiety creep in:
1. Try something new—on purpose
It doesn’t have to be big, but the key is to seek it out. This is a technique that I often use to shake things up in my life and it can be as small as brushing your teeth with your other hand or taking a different route to the office. But no matter what you do, do it with intention.
2. Speak clearly and boldly
I’ve learned over the years that when I am most bold, I am most happy and motivated. It’s as much a state of mind as it is a thing I do. When I am firmly seated in this state of mind, I tend to easily crush the things that I need to take care of.
3. Lean into what makes you different and stop blending in
You can do this on a personal level and I guarantee it’ll rizz you up. But also try it on a brand level. You know I talk about this all the time, but when times get weird, going on the offense feels and works so much better than just sitting back.
Because waiting for the dust to settle isn’t a strategy. And being frozen right now might be the riskiest move of all.
If you’re stuck, you can get unstuck. But if you need a little support, we can help you move. Not recklessly. Not randomly. But with purpose, with guts, and with ideas that cut through the noise.