Can intention setting help with anxiety?

Anxiety is a naturally occurring feature of the human brain, and therefore unavoidable. No matter how much we negotiate, and no matter how well we set up our lives, there will be times where we feel anxious and we have to cope with it. While we cannot successfully run from our anxiety, we can learn how to interface and cope with anxiety in a productive way. One of the ways we can do this is by setting the right intentions.

“Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it—just as we have learned to live with storms.” -Paulo Coelho

Intention Setting For Social Anxiety

Social anxiety can be one of the most intense forms of anxiety we deal with in our day-to-day life. We all seek the approval of others in our own ways, and attachment to that approval can result in social anxiety. Traumas and indignities we’ve suffered in our past can make us wary to connect with others, because we are afraid to be hurt again. But we cannot remove ourselves from the world, we are an important part of it. Here are some intentions for improving social anxiety:

• I love and approve of myself. I am safe to be myself.
• Others can make judgments as they see fit, but I will reserve mine for later. 
• I am a worthy friend who has a lot to offer. I give myself freely and lovingly. 
• I am my own harshest critic. Others will not view me as harshly as I do. 
• I am forgiving of others when they make mistakes. We are all deserving and capable of earning forgiveness.

What To Say When You’re Anxious About Money

Money (and our careers) can be a huge source of anxiety. There’s an intense pressure, not just to earn money, but to earn more money that can leave us feeling underpaid, exhausted, and inadequate. We tell ourselves a lot of stories about money, often ones we learned from watching our parents handle (or mishandle) their own money. While our income is valuable, and something we should be grateful for, it needn’t be a source of pain. Here are some intentions to improve our anxiety over money: 

• Money was made to be spent. I’ve earned my money before, and I can do it again.
• Money is not a measurement of my own value. I am valuable in ways that could not be expressed with a number. 
• I am not the number in my bank account. Every penny I spend is in the service of the life I want. 
• I can meet my needs when I am in need. I can achieve my wants when I am in want.
• There is enough for me. I am enough for others.

Intentions For When You’re Catastrophizing

When we give in to our anxiety, and start telling ourselves scary stories about things that could happen (although it’s usually stuff that’s pretty unlikely), that’s called catastrophizing. Catastrophizing can make a good situation bad, and a bad situation worse. But thankfully, it’s something we can recognize, and talk back to. Here are some intentions you can use to talk back to your catastrophizing thoughts:

• Nothing is permanent. Things can always get better. 
• My gut feeling is often too pessimistic. There are reasons to be hopeful that I might not have thought of. 
• There is no reason to give up. There is help that I can ask for, stuff that I can learn, and things I haven’t thought of. 
• I am not alone. With the right help, I can face my problems and overcome them. 
• I don’t have to worry about the future. I don’t have to worry about the past. All I need to do is stay in the present, and keep breathing.

Setting Intentions For A Better Future

Intentions can have a powerful effect on our future. When we set the right intention, we can keep ourselves motivated as we tackle even the most complex of tasks. But when our future is clouded by anxiety, setting the right intention can get complicated. Here are some intentions to brighten your future, even when the anxiety is telling you that a bright future is unlikely:

• My words have power, and I can use that power how I see fit. 
• I am capable, my future is in my hands, and what capable hands they are. 
• My past is not my future. My present is what I make of it. When I focus on the present, I honor my past. 
• My future is the present, transformed. My present is what I make of it. When I live in the moment, I brighten my future. 
• I am allowed to let go of my old stories. I can tell a tale that brings me comfort, and it will still be my story.
• I am alive. I am breathing. My future is closer and brighter for each breath that I take.

It is challenging to cope with anxiety. I could give you a thousand well-thought intentions to fight anxiety, and even if they really spoke to you, you’d still have to fight anxiety another day. That’s the gift you give yourself when you cope. You are not removing yourself from anxiety, you are giving yourself the opportunity to face the anxiety again, except the next time, you will be prepared, and perhaps equipped with a healthy sense of hope. I leave you with this selection from the poem “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop: 

“The art of losing isn’t hard to master;

so many things seem filled with the intent

to be lost that their loss is no disaster.”

 If you feel stuck on your healing journey, working with a therapist can help. Based on your needs, our intake specialist will help you get matched up with your perfect therapist. Click here to schedule a consultation.

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.