Anxiety Treatment NYC: Being Ambitious & Anxious Are Not the Same Thing

Anxiety Treatment NYC: Being Ambitious & Anxious Are Not the Same Thing

Is your ambitious, New York state of mind interfering with your mental health? Is feeling so wired, worried, and worked up just something you have to accept?

You aren’t the first to wonder. 

To be sure, anxiety in this part of the world is not unusual. You know that any metropolis comes with certain concerns and cares.

Yet, for lots of successful people, this is an ambitious person’s mecca. It’s a wonderful place to be, the place to make dreams come true. Where so many of us prove our places at the top of our respective games. The breakneck pace, perpetual pressure, and everyday anxiety are often considered just part of the New York lifestyle. 

Still, as the climb toward your dreams and goals progresses, you may be wondering if it has to be this way. Is there any way to slow down and combat the daily overstimulation and overwhelm while still pursuing the professional and personal goals that make you happy?

Simply put? Yes!

High achievement and soul-crushing anxiety are not the same things. The following tips can help you survive and thrive without succumbing to a mindset or habits that compromise your mental health in the long run. In other words, retain your ambitious edge without wearing down the mind and body that sustain you and keep you sharp. Here’s how:

Anxiety Treatment NYC: First, Get Back to Self-Care Basics 

Eat real food. No matter what Starbucks dreams up, coffee cannot fuel you forever. Be intentional about nourishment. Substitute stimulants, they just add to nervousness and anxiety. 

Move, stretch, bend. Running to your Uber or through the airport aren’t the kinds of movement that will keep your circulations flowing and thoughts centered. Instead, consider long walks, stair climbing, and yoga for their benefits to your muscles, posture, and joints. All help combat the wear and tear of long, sedentary days inside.. 

Sleep deeply, all night. The pace of your life requires real rest. All-nighters, all the time are no way to live if you struggle with anxiety. Allow the city to “never sleep” without you. Boost your body and mind every night with a bedtime routine that relaxes you well. Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated daily should not be a luxury.   

Resist shortcuts and self-medication. When deadlines loom and the pressure to perform mounts, quick, unhealthy ways to cope can seem appealing. It’s those moments when drugs, alcohol, and even food addiction can start to take hold. Pay attention to your choices in those moments. Choose safe, non-addictive ways to find relief. If you’re struggling, reach out to a professional for support.

Anxiety Treatment NYC: Next, Take Time to Tune In 

Do you find yourself hustling along, ruminating on where you’ve been? Are you also fixated on what rungs on the ladder come next? 

Do questions like, “Have I done enough?” or  “What will happen next?” disrupt your current concerns and daily duties?  

The thing about anxiety is that it is often fear or worry located in the past or future. To find relief and place your focus where it can do you the most good, a bit of internal work must occur. Consider the following key strategies:

• Make relaxation intentional. 

It’s likely infuriating when people tell you to “just relax.” That advice is fairly useless when you suffer from anxiety. Instead, it’s necessary to practice relaxation. 

The idea is to see relaxation as a priority and put a plan in action to release the excessive mental and physical stress that can lead to physical distress, emotional burnout, and even anxiety attacks.

Put downtime on your schedule daily. Take time to breathe, get outside, or simply daydream at your desk. Whatever you do, choose to let down and drop your shoulders. The more you set aside time for meditation, prayer, or just deep breathing, the more you’ll look forward to it. Soon, a real vacation may not seem like such a stretch.

•  Consider the benefits of mindfulness as a helpful internal defense. 

Striving for success is often fraught with comparison and competition. This can amplify anxiety in a million different ways and lead to some pretty intrusive thoughts and harsh self-talk. 

The practice of remaining present and self-aware can assist in self-acceptance and focus. Your progress and desires are put in better perspective when you allow your emotions and thoughts to flow naturally with less worry and judgment.

• Journal, blog, or vlog for clarity. 

Life can get intense, no matter how much you try to keep calm. Rather than try to avoid anxiety, which can create more stress, consider journaling. Make a habit of pouring out your emotions and experiences. Such relief and revelation can come from voicing what you notice. 

Simply keeping a notebook and pen nearby makes it easy to take quick notes about what bothers you or what you wish might happen. As you review them, your triggers and coping methods may start to materialize. Ideas about what matters and what doesn’t may come to you more freely. Even a few changes to make or areas of gratitude may show up. Journaling helps tap into the mental and emotional clarity that can get lost in the rat race.

Anxiety Treatment NYC: Finally, Reach Out

Most of all, don’t allow your New York aspirations to become New York isolation. Anxiety in the city thrives on urban loneliness. If you feel beat up by the intensity of your goals and the pressure of the progress you’re trying to make, reach out.

There is no shame or failure in needing to connect with other folks who feel the same way. Even the strongest and most capable New Yorkers need compassion and guidance. An experienced and capable therapist can be one of your most invaluable resources.

Learn more about our Anxiety Treatment counseling services for help.  

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