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Writer's pictureMegan Devito

Turning Anxious Thoughts Into Action: Breaking The Habit of Fear-Based Thinking


Smiling woman holding a laptop at a meeting
Fear-based thinking keeps you from incredible new views and opportunities.

Let's talk about anxious thoughts or fear-based thinking. I'm writing this on the morning of November 6, 2024: the day after weeks and months of election anxiety. I have a lot of big emotions about this election loss, from anger to embarrassment to fear. After giving myself a while to cry, I started journaling, as I do most mornings, and pulling myself back together, focusing forward instead of letting anxious thoughts control my day and the next four years of my life.


For the past year, we have been inundated with fear-based predictions about what could happen if the other candidate won. This climate of anger and fear has caused a haze of anxiety to hover over us for much longer than the 2024 election campaign, however. We've been stuck in a cycle of fear-based thinking and habits, living in fight or flight for years, and it's finally caught up with us.


Fear-Based Thinking


You know what I'm talking about. That sneaky little feeling that keeps you from booking the flight, asking for the promotion, or predicting the downfall of the free world. I could go down a deep rabbit hole of anxious thoughts that cause overwhelm and anxiety and still not guess the exact fear that triggers you and keeps you stuck.


“Our brains are basically threat detectors,” Sexton said. “If you’re feeling stressed, it simply means you’re paying attention.” - Psychologist and the director of the Duke Center for the Advancement of Well-being Science in Durham, North Carolina.

Fear-based thinking is a natural human tendency to base decisions on what you fear might happen. When you're facing something unfamiliar or if there is uncertainty, humans tend to see the possibility of danger instead of opportunity or hope. It tries to convince you to play it safe by hiding away, keeping quiet, or saying no to what you really want. But here's the thing: fear can be as powerful a motivator as a roadblock.



Smiling woman at work in front of her desk
Focusing on what you want to feel and experience stops fear-based thinking.


Turning Anxious Thoughts Into Action

What if you could use anxiety as fuel to grow your resilience and confidence instead of letting it hold you back? When you learn how to turn anxiety into action, you can face your fears head-on and create the life you want, feeling hopeful, confident, and excited instead of overwhelmed, anxious, and stuck. To do this, you have to learn to focus on what you want to feel instead of what you have to do.


Whether you catch yourself

Procrastinating because you're unsure of how to start,

Settling for less because you're afraid to ask for what you want or deserve, or you

Sabotage your own success by taking two steps forward and three steps back,

You won't get anywhere until you learn to


Feel the fear in your body,

Use it to ignore your anxious, fear-based thoughts, and

Focus on how you want to feel instead.


Here's what I mean. If you're feeling anxious about finding a job doing what you love, that feeling of fear or anxiety will show you more evidence that points you toward

  • Reasons you shouldn't apply.

  • Why you should give up and take whatever you can get

  • Finding problems that may or may not exist with any opportunities that pop up, etc.


When you let fear dictate your actions, you make choices based on what you're afraid of, not what you want, because your brain will always do what it takes to keep you safe: that includes staying safe from disappointment, hurt feelings, and embarrassment.


But when you feel the anxiety or fear, recognize that it's causing you to think anxious thoughts, and refocus on how you want to feel, you can choose an action that will help you feel confident, excited, and joyful - even when you feel afraid.


How to Live Your Best Live

It begins and ends with being mindful of what you're thinking and what you're doing when you notice you feel anxious.


As a coach, I help ambitious women overcome fear-based thinking, overwhelm, anxiety, and self-doubt and help them build confidence and resilience. Together we work through fear-based thoughts and habits by refocusing on how you want to feel, then find evidence to use as proof that you're already surrounded by opportunities, success, and safety. All by creating a personalized plan tailored to your values, personality, and goals.


It's easy to get started. Simply schedule a coaching consultation call (yes, it's free), and let's talk about what you want instead of what you fear. This call will open your mind to what is possible and get you a first step toward feeling confident, calm, and having fun.







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