🔎 TL/DR

🦋 Sol Bites: 3 Ways to Make Friends with Anxiety

😰 How I Learned to Stop Creating My Own Anxiety

📹 Video Bite: Sharana Ali on Navigating Anxiety

🦉 Words of Wisdom

Work in Unfamiliar Spaces

Creative blocks like procrastination or self-doubt can stem from associating anxious feelings with your everyday surroundings. When you repeatedly feel anxious in a specific environment—like your desk or studio—your brain starts to associate that space with stress, triggering anxiety the moment you enter. 

To break the cycle, use your anxiety as a cue to switch up your surroundings. If you can, work at a coffee shop, brainstorm in a park, or work in an inspiring setting like an art gallery. The shift will disrupt the negative associations, allowing you to think freely. Before you leave your anxious space, take time to acknowledge your anxiety so you don't carry it with you. When you acknowledge what your typical workspace does to you, it will gradually make the location feel less intimidating.

Reframe Anxiety as Adrenaline

Anxiety is essentially adrenaline. It’s a biological response to challenges that can (if used in the right way) sharpen focus, boost reaction time, and energize your body. And when you don’t let fear or shame take over, all of those things can boost creativity. 

Instead of catastrophizing the physical sensations of anxiety (like a racing heart or tight stomach), reframe them as your body preparing you to perform at your best. When anxiety strikes during a creative task, pause and think, This is just adrenaline, it’s here to help me. That mindset will prevent you from overthinking and let you channel the energy into your work.

See Anxiety as a Creative Spark

Anxiety often signals that you care deeply about your work—it reflects your passion and commitment. When you’re pushing boundaries or aiming for excellence, that nervous energy shows your brain is engaged and ready for the challenge.

Instead of fighting it, view anxiety as your creative spark and a sign you’re invested in meaningful work. Name it when it appears: I’m feeling this because this project matters to me. Then, channel that intensity into brainstorming, refining ideas, or diving deeper into your craft. That perspective helps turn anxiety into a motivator, fueling your creative process.

By the way, that last one is my personal favorite because it makes anxiety feel like a helpful spark, not a block. When I feel anxious I say to myself, “This is just my passion flowing," and it helps me tap into my creativity.

If you start experimenting with these approaches, let us know if any of them work for you!

Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.

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