How to Flip Anxiety on Its Head With 2 Words - Break the Anxiety Cycle in 30 Days 19/20

There is a simple shift you can use to transform your anxiety in two words. In this video you’ll learn how to do it. There is no physiological difference between anxiety and excitement. Inside your body, it’s the same physical response- cortisol, adrenaline, etc. rapid breathing, increased heart rate. You can flip a switch in your brain, when you say “bring it on!” I actually want this! Let’s go!” That transforms your experience. In this video you’ll learn how you can use two words to transform anxiety into confidence.
So a lot of times when someone is anxious, the advice they’re given is to “Calm down” to “Relax” but it’s actually quite difficult to switch from an activated emotion like anxiety to a lower level of activation like calmness, it’s not impossible, it’s just hard. It’s actually much easier to switch from one intense emotion to another. So a simple way to transform anxiety is to say “I’m excited” Those two words can make all the difference.

Researchers have found that when people say “I’m excited” they actually gave better public speeches, they sang better in (a) karaoke lounge, and they did better on math tests. It sounds too simple to be true, but what you're really doing is getting yourself out of a threat mindset, where you're focused on all the things that could go wrong, and into an opportunity mindset, where you're thinking about all the good things that could happen if you do well.”

The emotion of anxiety is supposed to prepare you to take action. To help you perform. It’s the exact same physiological response in your body as excitement.

Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

[Blah-Blah-Blah]

It's funny. My high functioning ASD child was home tutored via distance education in Australia for 8 years. She had a teacher who would start every lesson with "Good morning, I'm excited!" "I'm excited to be with you today and I'm excited to see what we're going to get done." My child always looked forward to his lessons. Watching this, reminded me of that.

[esthera]

wonderful video. a friend told me years ago, “nervousness is excitement without the breathing; just breath.” i still utilize this approach.

[tiller]

My 12 year old kid taught me this lesson last month! He was taking his first big audition as a middle school musician. Being a former music educator, I asked him how he was feeling beforehand and he said that he was excited! I responded, "Really? That's a great mindset!" He said that someone taught him the trick of when you feel anxious, say that you are excited because it puts a positive spin on the experience. He totally changed my perspective!

[RalfyCustoms]

I learnt this last year, after being on physc meds for decades! I came off and have managed my anxiety by telling myself I'm excited 🎉 honestly it is a game changer

[anniemack]

I feel the need to say I think you are a lovely human.

[vv]

#1 Evaluate the situations and relationships that you have. Are you around people who are nice and appreciate you? Or people that are mean, manipulate you or gaslight you? Then maybe that’s where we need to start. Getting away from negative people is the first step then finding people who are kind and treat others well is transformative.

[street]

I can always feel that you are an actual person when watching your videos. Your authenticity really shines through. Thank you for all of your helpful tips!

[Thomas-pqys]

I awaken with anxiety 3 hours before i should be getting up. Telling myself I'm excited is not a good way to fall back to sleep.

[juliahello]

Anxiety makes my stomach hurt and excitement doesn’t. I don’t know what the physiological explanation for that is but there is definitely a physiological difference between anxiety and excitement.

[katydeclercq]

I don’t know if this is the same but when it’s really busy in the supermarket, I imagine that I walk through a forest and the people are threes… it works for me

[scrubjay]

Reframing situations in our mind is such a good skill to remember and this "I'm excited" tip is one that makes so much sense. Thank you for this wonderful series. I have been so paralyzed by anxiety that I stayed in bed for almost a year, have isolated from friends and family almost five years, and it's very hard to re-engage because of overwhelming stress, medical problems, financial hardship, etc. I finally found a local therapist who accepts medicare and my goal is just taking the smallest baby steps each day if possible. Having a therapist is so helpful in this regard - please try one if you are in trouble, although easier said than done, I know. My last therapist quit and it has taken me over three years to get a new one.

[stevec]

Decades ago, in Texas for Air Force training, one particular day was so hot that not one of the many thousands on the base ventured outside...except me. Never one to be comfortable in the heat, I took a slow and contemplative stroll. I loved it! It raised my confidence level that I could face something otherwise negative and see it in a positive light.

Still deep in my healing process, and dealing with some very dark thoughts, I have recently begun to rename my anxiety as excitement, as you suggest. It does work. It also helps that I have begun to know that I can work through my anxiety; and not be the victim of it. Naming every stressor and dealing with them one at a time is decreasing the backlog, and helping with overwhelm. Though childhood trauma led to cPTSD for me, the negative and failure mindset I had is slowly morphing into a self-advocating one. Just today, I broke a long period of avoidance, and am tackling my issues. Thanks for your insights.

[msdixie]

I come from a long line of anxious women; great-grandmother, grandmother & mother. Thank goodness I got into therapy on my 40s due to overwhelming anxiety that threatened to becoming crippling. Despite repeatedly threatening to die for the last 50 or 60 years, my mother turned 100 on December 1st & had a debilitating stroke the next day and has, sadly, been moved from Assisted Living to long term care. She never sought any treatment or learned any skills for coping with it, & her anxiety continues to rage even as she nears death. When she passes, I think I will be grateful that she’s finally at peace.

[vbjqiut]

I'm not anxious about being homeless, I'm excited!

[imranyldrm]

Even listening to you speak is comforting. Thank you for all the work you've done for this anxious and scared community ❤

[natalieerickson]

This is fantastic! You are fantastic! Prayers for your best year yet, Doc, and anyone at all reading this! God bless and lots of love!

[lumenmom]

This is really good. Two words I started using a while ago that helps me is “it’s okay” or I’m okay”. I’ll run through the thought that is plaguing me at the time, then I’ll say at the end of that, ”and it’s okay.” It’s amazing how much I calm down.

[MissDoreen]

I really appreciate this video and anxiety. I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety and I have to take an anti-anxiety medication. Sometimes the side effects of not having a medication if I run out too soon is very hard to handle. I am listening with open ears. Have a lovely day and happy 2024 to you.🙏🏽❤️🥰

[Lydia-Bee]

One night I was in bed not able to sleep because of high anxiety and I became angry with myself to be again feeling this way. I was so fed up with my mind making this anxiety that I told myself: ''All right, you want to freak out? Even if you go insane, go ahead freak out, be scared imagine the worse of the worse!'' I watched to see what would happen and all of a sudden everything in my mind stopped, there was just silence and a deep peace. I was so suprised, I couldn't beleive it. I got up had a drink of water and went back to bed for a good night sleep. I saw that anxiety was not something real that I had a certain power over it and that I could talk to myself to make things better. Anxiety still comes back from time to time but my view of it has changed.

[Vincentorix]

An example for me was during my black belt exam in Taekwondo. I was really nervous I was shaking. I started to tell myself to just have some fun and I felt the switch from anxiety to excitement. This is a neat super power for sure.