Stop the Spiral… Tips to Manage Anxiety Before It Manages You
Part 1 of a 4-Part Series: THRIVE - Practical Tools to Reduce Stress, Manage Anxiety, Prevent Burnout, & Balance Work, Parenting, & Life
This four-part series is designed for parents, high-achievers, creatives, perfectionists, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to manage anxiety, prevent burnout, and live intentionally. Each post offers insights and practical strategies for emotional regulation, boundary setting, and reconnecting with what truly matters. The series builds step-by-step, guiding you toward clarity, calm, and purposeful action in your daily life.
Stress vs. Anxiety
Stress and anxiety can be confused, and it’s important to differentiate them. Stress is your body and mind’s reaction to life’s demands or challenges. These can include work deadlines, interpersonal conflicts, or big changes and life transitions. Stress can actually motivate you, but once the stressor passes, the pressure eases and you will typically feel relieved and settle back to your baseline. If your stressors are continuous and you cannot regularly rest and recharge, it can become chronic and lead to burnout.
Anxiety on the other hand, lingers even after the stressors pass. It shows up in your body and in your mind and can look like tense muscles, stomach aches, fidgeting, racing thoughts, over-planning or self-criticism, and constant fear and worry about what might happen.
Anxiety is anticipatory - it’s a focus on the future ‘what if’s’
If you’re a high-achiever, a creative, a parent - you may notice that you often feel both stress and anxiety. Left unchecked, anxiety can quietly, over time, drain your energy, creativity, and even your focus. It’s important to be able to differentiate the two so that you can learn to make stress work for you (ie. motivate), rest and recharge, and manage anxiety before it takes over and stops you from taking action and moving forward in life with momentum and confidence.
Anxiety isn’t bad. It provides useful information in an effort to protect you from potential negative outcomes and experiences. It’s just that those outcomes and experiences haven’t happened, and may never happen, so it’s key to be able to notice anxiety when it shows up, so that it doesn’t sabotage you.
Here are a few easy-to-implement
strategies that can help you
manage anxiety:
Notice What’s Happening
Noticing your patterns and creating space to respond intentionally to life’s demands rather than react automatically, is the first step to managing anxiety. In short, awareness is key.
Identify thoughts that seem to loop or recur. They may show up saying things like, “I just got lucky - eventually everyone will know I don’t know what I’m doing” despite having just received a positive performance review at work, or “if my child isn’t top of the class (academically) they’ll never succeed in life and everyone will think I’m a bad parent.” Notice fear that may be triggering worry.
Observe where anxiety is showing up in your body. Are your shoulders tight? Is your breathing shallow? Are your hands fidgeting or clenched? Notice any tension without judgement.
Practice: Anchor in the Present & Act
Choose one recurring, anxious thought.
Label it without judgement. Is it planning? Worrying? Judging? Remembering? Thinking?
Take one or two slow, grounding exhales. Notice what’s going on in your body. Plant your feet on the floor. Rest your hands comfortably on your lap or at your sides. Notice where ease rests in your body.
Ask: “What is one small, intentional action I can take right now?”
Tip: Even one, tiny action - responding to an email, taking a five-minute walk without looking at your phone, or completing a task you’ve been putting off - interrupts anxious thought loops and can reduce overwhelm and strengthen self-confidence.
Gentle Reminders
Anxiety offers important information - though it may not seem like it, it’s trying to keep you safe. It’s your mind and body letting you know that something needs your attention.
Not everything needs to be solved immediately, or all at once. Small, consistent steps are more effective than trying to do things perfectly or too quickly.
Self-compassion is a tool. When anxiety starts to creep up, speak to yourself as you would a good friend - with kindness and non-judgement.
…and check in on how you’ve nourished your body today. Do you need a glass of water or a snack? Sometimes that takes the edge off so you can focus on next steps.
Reflection Prompts:
Which anxious thoughts are recurring today, and how would I label them?
Where in my body do I notice tension? Where do I notice ease?
What is one small action I can take right now to feel more grounded and calm?
Tip: These prompts are intended to strengthen self-awareness, create grounding, and guide intentional action helping you move from anxious spiraling to a place where you can take back your energy, focus, and peace of mind.
Your well-being truly matters, and it’s worth giving yourself the care you deserve. Even small, imperfect steps - like pausing, showing yourself compassion, setting healthy boundaries, or taking actions that feel meaningful - can help ease anxiety, reduce stress, prevent burnout, and guide you through life’s transitions with a little more clarity and confidence.
If you’re a creative, an entrepreneur, a parent, or a high-achiever in British Columbia who’s feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out, I offer online counselling where we can work together to find ways to manage your emotions, protect your energy, and reconnect with what truly matters. I invite you to learn more about my services or book a consultation.
About Christina
Christina Vasak, a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC, supports high-achievers, creatives, entrepreneurs and parents of young children - really, adults from all walks of life - who feel stretched thin, anxious, are navigating a life or work transition, or are unsure how to prioritize themselves. As a mother who loves spending time outdoors, she offers a calm, compassionate space to slow down, feel seen, and reconnect with your strengths and what matters most. Learn More about Christina here.
A Four Part Series
THRIVE: Practical Tools to Reduce Stress, Prevent Burnout, Manage Anxiety & Balance Work, Parenting, & Life
Part 1: Stop the Spiral… Tips to manage anxiety before it manages you
Part 2: Protect Your Energy - How to set boundaries for work, parenting, life, & stress management (coming soon)
Part 3: Regain focus and Calm - Simple Steps to Beat Overwhelm and Burnout (coming soon)
Part 4: Find Joy and Balance - Intentional living tips for work, parenting, and life (coming soon)
Check out the Spring Reset blog series to explore simple, supportive ways to mindfully reset and renew your body and mind this spring by caring for your nervous system, cultivating self-compassion, setting healthy boundaries, and reconnecting with what matters most.
Support & Safety Note
This content is intended to offer information, guidance, and encouragement, but it is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you or someone else is feeling overwhelmed or in serious distress, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional, or call or text 988 for support (Canada-wide crisis line available 24/7). If there is an immediate danger or life-threatening emergency, call 911. Remember—you don’t have to face this alone. Help is always available.
