6 Things I stopped Doing To Fix My Anxiety

Summary

In this inspiring video, Scott shares his transformative journey from being crippled by anxiety to overcoming it and achieving feats that would intimidate most. He candidly discusses the habits that once fueled his anxiety and outlines six key strategies he adopted to conquer it, including facing fears, reducing stimulant intake, staying active, improving nutrition, delegating tasks, and trusting himself. His story is a testament to the power of self-awareness and change in managing anxiety.

Takeaways

• 😌 Scott used to struggle with debilitating anxiety, which affected his ability to perform normal activities.
• 🚫 He has overcome much of his anxiety and now engages in activities that would typically provoke it in others.
• 🔑 Scott believes his life experience with anxiety is a significant credential, more so than formal education or work experience.
• 🔄 He realized that certain habits and routines were unknowingly sustaining his anxiety, and by changing them, he was able to manage it better.
• 🤸‍♂️ Avoiding anxiety-provoking situations was the first habit he stopped, comparing it to stretching to improve flexibility.
• ☕ He stopped consuming excessive stimulants like caffeine, which can exacerbate anxiety by supercharging anxious thoughts.
• 🧘 Scott stopped doing nothing, keeping his mind busy to prevent it from generating catastrophic thoughts during idle times.
• 🍎 He improved his nutrition, avoiding hypoglycemia, which can mimic anxiety symptoms and worsen existing anxiety.
• 🙅‍♂️ Scott stopped trying to do everything himself, learning to delegate and ask for help to reduce stress and anxiety.
• 🕊 He stopped treating himself as untrustworthy, allowing himself to delegate tasks to his future self and trusting in his ability to follow through.
• 🌟 Scott's story is one of transformation, showing that it is possible to significantly reduce and manage anxiety through conscious lifestyle changes and mindset shifts.

Q & A

What was Scott's primary struggle before he managed to overcome it?

Scott's primary struggle was with debilitating anxiety that affected his daily life, making it difficult for him to perform normal activities like driving, making phone calls, and leaving the house.

How does Scott describe his current relationship with anxiety?

Scott describes his current relationship with anxiety as having come full circle, where he now does things that would typically provoke anxiety in others, indicating that he has significantly managed and reduced his own anxiety levels.

What does Scott consider his most important credential in managing anxiety?

Scott considers his life experience, specifically his journey through and recovery from debilitating anxiety, as his most important credential, more important than formal education or work experience.

What was the first change Scott made to better manage his anxiety?

The first change Scott made was to stop avoiding anxiety-provoking situations, comparing it to stretching to improve flexibility, which helps in challenging and expanding the comfort zone.

Why did Scott stop consuming stimulants like coffee and energy drinks?

Scott stopped consuming stimulants because they increase brain activity and can supercharge anxiety-provoking thoughts, exacerbating his anxiety levels.

How does Scott describe the impact of doing 'nothing' on his anxiety?

Scott describes doing 'nothing' as allowing his brain to generate anxiety, as it uses unoccupied mental energy to extrapolate worst-case scenarios, thus keeping the mind busy is crucial in managing anxiety.

What is the fourth strategy Scott adopted to manage his anxiety?

The fourth strategy Scott adopted was improving his nutrition by eating balanced meals and not skipping meals, which helps in avoiding hypoglycemia and its overlap with anxiety symptoms.

Why is nutrition important in managing anxiety according to Scott?

Nutrition is important because proper meals provide the brain with the necessary fuel to function healthily. Skipping meals or eating poorly can lead to low blood sugar, which can mimic or exacerbate anxiety symptoms.

What does Scott suggest about the relationship between anxiety and the need to do things oneself?

Scott suggests that trying to do everything oneself can increase anxiety, especially for those with perfectionist tendencies. He recommends learning to delegate and ask for help to reduce stress.

How does Scott view the concept of trusting one's future self in relation to anxiety?

Scott views trusting one's future self as a way to alleviate anxiety. He used to treat himself as untrustworthy, fearing that future him would not complete tasks, but he learned to trust that he will eventually get things done, reducing the pressure to do everything immediately.

What is the overarching message Scott hopes to convey to those struggling with anxiety?

Scott's overarching message is one of hope and empowerment, asserting that anxiety can be defeated and conquered through conscious effort, self-awareness, and adopting strategies to manage and reduce its impact on life.