If I Had to Overcome Anxiety Again, Here’s Exactly What I’d Do
- Shannon Jackson
- Apr 6
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
As you probably already know, I struggled with anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia for 15 years. And my recovery was… rough, really rough! There was so much I didn’t know, so much I tried, and I attempted to do it all alone. So, in this episode, I wanna share with you what I’d do if I had to overcome anxiety again - because I would definitely do things differently! If you apply these things I’m sharing with you, it’ll absolutely help make your recovery journey shorter and less hard. Alright, let’s dive in!
1. Educate Myself & From the Right Source
I’d learn the truth about anxiety—what it is, why it happens, and why it’s not dangerous. And I’d start by learning from someone who truly understands it—not from ten different people but from one trusted source. There is so much value in learning from someone who’s been through it and is just a few steps ahead. Education is key to creating a healthy relationship with anxiety.
I’d also make sure to not fall into these anxiety misconception traps:
Anxiety is dangerous. (It’s not!)
You need to find the root cause to recover. (Nope, you don’t.)
Deep breathing and relaxation techniques will "fix" anxiety. (They can be helpful but aren’t the solution.)
Feeling anxious means something is wrong with you. (Absolutely false.)
You’ll have anxiety forever and just need to manage it. (Trying to manage it is a big part of the problem! You don’t have to live in survival mode.)
The goal is to eliminate anxiety. (The goal is to build tolerance, not eliminate it.)
“I’m just an anxious person.” (You’re not. You can heal.)
2. Develop Awareness
I was constantly running on autopilot, letting my anxious thoughts dictate my behaviors. Developing awareness of my thoughts, actions, and emotions helped me take back control. Awareness allows you to break free from the anxiety cycle instead of staying stuck in it.
3. Prioritize Self-Compassion
Self-compassion isn’t optional in recovery—it’s essential. My students in Panic to Peace often tell me that this was the missing piece in their recovery. Here’s what I’d do differently:
Speak to myself kindly, especially in tough moments.
Change the deep-rooted stories I was telling myself.
Work through guilt and shame because they only make anxiety worse.
Stop measuring my recovery by how I feel. Anxiety doesn’t mean I’m failing!
4. Embrace the Messiness of Recovery
Recovery is not a straight line, and I’d stop expecting it to be. I’d allow myself to experience setbacks without assuming I’m back at square one. I’d:
Let go of the need to do everything perfectly.
Accept that my tolerance for anxiety will fluctuate.
Stop forcing recovery and focus on small daily steps instead.
5. Throw Away the Timeline
One of the biggest mistakes I made was obsessing over how long recovery was taking. If I were doing it all over, I’d put down the books, stop searching for the magic fix, and commit to showing up for myself in small, healthy ways every day. The timeline doesn’t matter—consistency does.
6. Get Support (And Stop Trying to Do It Alone)
I cannot stress this enough—I would get support ASAP. Anxiety recovery can feel isolating, but you don’t have to do it alone.
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Final Thoughts
If I had to do it all again, I’d focus on education, self-awareness, self-compassion, patience, and support. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right approach, it does happen. You don’t have to stay stuck. You are capable of healing, and I’m here to help you every step of the way. Keep taking healthy action!
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