Warriors, thanks for being here. I want to share something simple but powerful from my own recovery: the way I think about what’s happening to me made all the difference. If you’re struggling with health anxiety, it’s easy to let the feelings become your identity. I used to wake up and say, “I am anxious,” and let that label run my day. Over time I learned to see those feelings as actions I was taking, not who I am.
Identity vs Activity: A Mindset Shift
Identity is who you tell yourself you are. Activity is what you do, both on purpose and without thinking. I used to identify as “the anxious one,” and every time something happened my system checked that identity and reacted. Once I started treating anxiety as an activity, something I was creating through habits, thoughts, and reactions, I gained room to change it.
Why this matters
Changing how I act was easier than trying to magically feel different. I could change small things I did each day and the feelings began to follow. Remember: the feeling is a result of something you’re doing right now, not the whole story of who you are.
Why Identity Gets Stuck
We pick up labels from other people and from our past. I carried words like sensitive, limited, worrywart. Those labels ran in the background and shaped every choice. When the body shows symptoms, the identity kicks in and says, “That proves you’re sick.” That’s when people rush to the ER, call their support person, or start searching forums. Those are activity choices coming from an identity-based wiring.
Cause and Effect: You Have Power
I learned to use the principle of cause and effect. For every result there is a reason. If I dig into the reasons for my reactions I start peeling the onion. It shows me the mental and behavioral structures that create the distress. Once I see the causes, I can change what I do, and the results change.
Reframing Symptoms: Mindset and Meaning
Physiologically, excitement and fear look the same. I’ve felt the same body sensations at concerts, first dates, and during new challenges. What changed for me was the meaning I attached to the sensation. I stopped telling myself it meant doom. That shift in meaning runs deeper than a quick pep talk, it changes the pattern that leads to panic.
A daily check-in I used
When a symptom showed up, I would ask: “What did I do to create this feeling?” Not to blame myself, but to notice patterns. That shift from reacting to observing helped me make different choices.
Daily Habits That Shape Your Mindset
Small routines make a big difference. I built a model of “future me” and asked how that version would act when anxiety showed up. That question guided my behavior. Over time those guided actions became habits and my identity began to align with the person I wanted to be.
Simple habits I used
- Notice the urge to worry, then delay responding for one minute.
- Ask: “How would future me respond?” and act that way.
- Treat physical symptoms as signals, not as proof of catastrophe.
Tiny practice to start today
Step 1: When you notice a symptom, label it “sensation.”
Step 2: Breathe twice slowly.
Step 3: Ask the future-me question and choose one small action that supports that vision.
Mindset Tools to Use
I tried a few practical tools that helped me stop identifying with anxiety: grounding techniques, brief pauses before acting, and a rehearsed phrase I used to remind myself this runs deeper than the moment. None of these fixed everything instantly, but layering them over time changed how I responded to stress.
How I Practiced This
During my healing I had a model of who I wanted to become. I asked myself, “How would that version of me speak to this person? How would that version handle this moment?” Practicing those responses in small situations prepared me for bigger ones.
When the body felt like panic but it was excitement
There were moments, at concerts or before a date, where my body screamed anxiety but my mind could remind itself: “I’ve felt this before and it wasn’t catastrophe.” That reminder stopped many escalations.
Small Steps to Start Today
- Notice whether you’re treating the feeling as your identity.
- Shift your language: from “I am anxious” to “I am experiencing anxiety.”
- Build a short checklist for moments of distress and practice it once a day.
Resources and Closing
If you want support, visit anxietyexit.com. I’ve put blogs, a digital version of my book Me Versus Myself, and programs there to help you begin. I don’t want to make you feel good for a minute; I want long-term change. Changing what you do each day leads to lasting shifts in who you become.
If you enjoyed this post, please rate and review the podcast. I read every one and it helps a lot. Remember, you are more than anxiety. See you soon. Love you all, Warriors.
