Riding the Anxiety Wave

Anxiety can feel intense, overwhelming, and impossible to escape. But one of the most helpful ways to manage it is to stop fighting it and start “riding the wave.”

Anxiety is like an wave. It builds, peaks, and then naturally falls. When we try to resist or avoid it, we often make it worse. Instead, the key is to acknowledge the feeling, stay present, and let it pass on its own.

Holding back from seeking reassurance is a conscious effort to manage worry by sitting with uncertainty and riding the wave instead. In CBT, this is an important skill because it helps build confidence in handling anxious thoughts independently, rather than relying on others to ease discomfort.

Here’s how to ride the wave:
🌊 Notice it – Identify the feeling without judging it. “This is anxiety, and that’s okay.”
🌊 Stay with it – Remind yourself that anxiety always passes, even when it feels like it won’t.
🌊 Breathe through it – Focus on your breath or something grounding to help you stay present.
🌊 Don’t get off the wave until it naturally fades– You are stronger than you think. You can do this with out reassurance.

The more you practice this, the more you’ll see that anxiety isn’t something you have to fear. It comes and goes—just like a wave—and you are strong enough to ride it.