Anxiety Unraveled
Why Your Body’s Yelling (and How to Listen)
Alright, let’s talk anxiety. Not the “just meditate and manifest” fluff. I’m talking about the chest-squeezing, brain-looping, why-am-I-sweating-over-a-text kind of anxiety that crashes your party and eats all your mental snacks.
If you’ve ever spiraled over something you know isn’t life-or-death—like forgetting to reply to an email—but your body’s acting like you’re dodging a velociraptor, you’re not broken. You’re not “extra.” You’re just human. And your nervous system? It’s trying to tell you something.
What if anxiety isn’t just your brain throwing a tantrum? What if it’s your body’s SOS signal, begging you to listen? That’s the game-changer I discovered through Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, a book that flipped my view on anxiety like a plot twist in a rom-com.
Louise Hay: The OG of Mind-Body Magic
Louise Hay, the fairy godmother of New Age healing, was preaching mind-body connection before it was trending on TikTok. Her 1984 classic You Can Heal Your Life sold over 50 million copies and sparked a movement in functional and holistic medicine. She taught that emotional baggage—unresolved stress, limiting beliefs—can manifest as physical symptoms. Think of it like your body turning emotional Wi-Fi signals into a headache or a racing heart.
Her work is the backbone of my practice at The Dr. Brooke Collective. As a DNP, I’m all about blending hard science with soul-deep healing. Louise showed me that true wellness isn’t just about supplements or kale smoothies—it’s about rewriting the stories your nervous system’s stuck on.
What’s Anxiety Really About?
Louise says anxiety isn’t just “stress” or “too many emails.” It’s a trust issue with life’s flow. Yep, anxiety is what happens when your brain’s like, “If I don’t control EVERYTHING, we’re doomed!” Sound familiar? I spent years micromanaging my life like I was directing a Marvel movie, thinking control would keep me safe.
Spoiler: It didn’t. Anxiety isn’t a control problem—it’s a safety problem. Scientifically, it’s your amygdala (the brain’s panic button) hijacking your prefrontal cortex (the logical CEO). Chronic anxiety can spike cortisol, disrupt your vagus nerve, and throw your autonomic nervous system into chaos. Translation? Your body’s stuck in fight-or-flight, even when the “threat” is just a looming deadline.
Louise’s fix? Trust the process. When you lean into the belief that the universe (or your higher power) has your back, your nervous system chills out. It’s like giving your amygdala a weighted blanket and a nap.
Affirmations: Not Just New-Agey
Louise’s go-to tool? Affirmations. Not the “I’m a billionaire” kind you mumble while Venmo-ing your last $5. These are science-backed rewirings of your neural pathways. Repeating positive phrases can reduce activity in the brain’s fear centers, per studies in Frontiers in Psychology (2018). Here are my faves for anxiety:
• I am safe. All is well. (Tells your amygdala to take a coffee break.)
• I trust life’s flow. (Reminds your brain you’re not the universe’s project manager.)
• I release fear and choose peace. (Like hitting “unsubscribe” on worry.)
• My body is my ally, not my enemy. (Because your nervous system’s just trying to help.)
I didn’t buy it at first. I was like, “Sure, Louise, I’ll just affirm my way out of a panic attack.” But I said them anyway—out loud, daily, especially when my chest felt like a vise. Slowly, my body started to believe it. Not because life got less messy, but because I felt safer in my own skin.
The Science of Holistic Healing
At The Dr. Brooke Collective, we’re obsessed with healing from the inside out. Yes, we love adaptogens, clean eats, and somatic practices (think yoga or tapping to calm your vagus nerve). But we also dig into the emotional roots of symptoms. Louise taught me anxiety’s a messenger, not a villain. It’s your body’s way of saying, “Hey, we’re not feeling safe—let’s talk.”
Research backs this up. A 2020 study in Psychosomatic Medicine found that unresolved emotional stress can dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, amplifying anxiety. By addressing those emotional patterns—through affirmations, therapy, or journaling—you can literally rewire your brain’s stress response.
Try This Today
Look, we’re not aiming for sainthood here. Some days, anxiety’s gonna win, and you’ll be one snarky email away from starring in your own workplace drama. That’s okay—we’re human, not robots. But before you hit “send” on that passive-aggressive zinger or snap at your barista, pause. Your brain’s probably scripting a horror-movie version of reality (e.g., “My boss hates me, I’ll get fired, I’ll live in a cardboard box!”). Spoiler: 9/10 times, that worst-case scenario is as likely as a zombie apocalypse. Try these to get your head back in the game:
1. Name the Fear. Ask: What’s the worst that could happen if I let go of control? No judgment. Just get curious. (Pro tip: It’s rarely as bad as your brain’s Oscar-worthy panic script.)
2. Breathe to Hit Reset. Use Dr. Amen’s diaphragmatic breathing: 4 seconds in (push belly out), 8 seconds out (pull belly in), 6-8 cycles. This tells your amygdala to chill, per a 2017 Journal of Clinical Psychology study. It’s like a mini-vacation for your nervous system, stopping that knee-jerk reaction before you regret it.
3. Affirm Out Loud. Pick one:
• I trust life to unfold for my highest good.
• I am grounded, safe, and supported.
Say it, even if you feel like a dork. Bonus points for doing it in the mirror.
4. Ground Your Body. Walk barefoot on grass (earthing reduces cortisol, per a 2015 Journal of Inflammation Research). Or place a hand on your heart and breathe into your belly. Your vagus nerve will thank you.
With a level head, that “crisis” (like a misinterpreted Slack message) is usually just a molehill, not Everest. Breathwork and perspective let you respond like the CEO of your life, not a reality TV trainwreck.
Dr. Daniel Amen: The Brain Whisperer
Enter Dr. Daniel Amen, the rockstar neuropsychiatrist who’s scanned over 200,000 brains (yes, really). Founder of Amen Clinics, he’s a double-board-certified MD, New York Times bestselling author of books like Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, and the go-to brain guru for celebs like Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber. His SPECT imaging studies reveal how brain function ties to behavior, making him a pioneer in personalized mental health.
Dr. Amen’s anxiety hack is gold, especially for those pre-panic moments—like when you spot your ex in the grocery store or get handed a pop quiz. Here’s his protocol, backed by neuroscience:
1. Stay Put. Fleeing a triggering situation can wire your brain to associate that place with fear, leading to agoraphobia. Staying put tells your amygdala, “We got this.”
2. Breathe Like a Pro. Diaphragmatic breathing (4 seconds in, push belly out; 8 seconds out, pull belly in) for 6-8 cycles activates the parasympathetic nervous system. A 2017 study in Journal of Clinical Psychology confirms this lowers heart rate and cortisol in minutes.
3. Own the Moment. This breathing trick shifts you from reactive (panic mode) to responsive (CEO mode), per Dr. Amen’s brain scans showing improved prefrontal cortex activity.
4. Journal It. Write down your thoughts to “kill the ANTs” (Automatic Negative Thoughts). A 2018 Nature study found expressive writing reduces amygdala hyperactivity, helping you process and repeat healthy responses.
Why This Matters
Anxiety isn’t about silencing your feelings—it’s about dancing with them. Louise Hay and Dr. Amen both nail this: your body’s not out to get you. It’s begging for safety, connection, and trust. By blending affirmations (rewiring beliefs), somatic practices (calming the body), and brain-based strategies (taming the amygdala), you’re not just surviving anxiety—you’re decoding its message.
As Louise Hay said: “You’ve been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
Anxiety might be part of your story, but it’s not your whole book. You’re safe. You’re supported. And with a little science and soul, you can heal your life.
At The Dr. Brooke Collective, we’re here to guide you—because healing happens when we stop fighting symptoms and start listening to their wisdom.
