How I Stopped Letting Anxiety Control My Life

For a long time, anxiety shaped everything I did. I used to wake up already on edge, waiting for something to go wrong, constantly checking in with myself to see if a panic attack was coming. It felt like my mind was in survival mode all the time, and I never felt fully present or relaxed. I didn’t recognise how heavy that was until I finally started to feel lighter.

What changed wasn’t a supplement or a quick fix. It was a slow shift into taking care of myself in a more intentional and loving way. I haven’t had a panic attack in so long now, and it’s because I built a lifestyle that supports my mind instead of overwhelming it.

Pilates played a huge part in that. The more I trained, the more I learned how to breathe properly, release tension and move from a place of control instead of chaos. The reformer especially forced me to slow down and connect back to my body. It became a space where my mind stopped racing.

Riding also helped me in a way I can’t fully describe. Horses ground me. When I’m on a horse, I can’t think about anything else. There is something about the rhythm, the focus, the presence it requires, that calms my entire nervous system. It became its own form of emotional therapy without needing any words.

Cryotherapy became another part of my routine. The cold clears your mind instantly. It brings you into your breath and snaps you out of any anxious loop. I always step out feeling reset, both mentally and physically.

Journaling helped me make sense of everything happening inside me. Instead of carrying all my thoughts around, I started putting them on paper. It gave me clarity and allowed my mind to breathe. I understood myself better once I stopped holding everything in.

But the biggest shift was how I started treating myself. I learned to choose myself first, to protect my peace and my energy. I stopped letting other people’s behaviour or opinions control my emotions. I stopped explaining myself. I stopped abandoning my own needs. The more I honoured my boundaries, the calmer I became.

Healing didn’t happen in one moment. It happened slowly, in small choices, in routine, in movement, in quiet mornings, in breathing deeply, in reminding myself that I deserved to feel safe in my own body. And over time, the panic attacks simply stopped showing up.

Today, I feel calmer, more grounded and more in control of my inner world. Anxiety no longer leads my life. I do. And it feels like I finally came home to myself.

If you’re going through anxiety right now, I promise it can get better. Not through perfection or pressure, but through gentle habits that support you. Healing becomes possible the moment you start choosing yourself.