Anxiety has a way of showing up right before something matters.

Your heart races.
Your thoughts speed up.
Your body feels on edge.

And your first thought is usually, I need this to stop.

Most teens and young adults I talk to think anxiety means something is wrong with them. Broken. Weak. Behind.

It does not.

It means you care.

The Part No One Explains

Anxiety does not show up randomly.

It shows up around tests you want to do well on.
Around people you want to connect with.
Around moments where being seen matters.

If you did not care, your body would stay quiet.

Anxiety gets louder when the stakes feel higher. Not because you are failing, but because your brain thinks it needs to protect something important.

This is why anxiety often increases as you grow.
You care more.
You risk more.
You want more.

The Signal Under the Panic

The physical feeling of anxiety is intense. A racing heart. Tight chest. Shaky hands. Sometimes even feeling frozen.

Your brain labels those sensations as danger.

But your body is doing something else.
It is preparing you.

Michael Jordan said he felt nervous before every game.
Stephen Curry has shared he feels unease before big moments.
Sidney Crosby has said if you do not get nervous, you are not human.

Same bodies. Same sensations.
Different interpretation.

Elite performers read anxiety as energy. Readiness. Focus.

Anxious teens often read it as danger.

A Small Shift That Changes Everything

Instead of asking, why am I like this, try asking one different question.

What does this say about what I care about?

If anxiety hits before a test, education matters to you.
If it hits before social situations, connection matters.
If it hits before a game or performance, effort and growth matter.

Anxiety is not a character flaw.
It is a spotlight.

When you stop fighting the feeling, you stop fighting yourself.

One Thing You Can Do This Week

You do not need to calm all the way down before you move forward.

Try this simple reset when anxiety spikes.

Name it.
This is anxiety.

Normalize it.
This means I care.

Redirect it.
Choose one small action. Review one page. Say the first sentence. Walk through the door.

Let the feeling come with you.
Confidence does not come first. Action does.

This is how anxiety stops running the show.

Where The Episode Comes In

In this week’s episode, I walk through why anxiety gets louder when things matter and how to use that energy instead of fighting it.

If you feel stuck waiting to feel calm before you live, this episode will shift how you see your anxiety.

Episode 45: Why You Should Stop Fighting Anxiety and Start Using It

Just a Reminder

You do not need to eliminate anxiety to move forward.

You need to understand it.

Anxiety does not mean stop.
It means pay attention.

With you in this,
Jessica
Mindset Coach for Anxious Teens & Young Adults

P.S. If you want help building your confidence or figuring out where to begin, book a 1:1 Confidence Coaching. I work with teens, young adults, and adults, and together we’ll map out a clear path forward.

Related Listening

• Struggling with confidence and second-guessing yourself more than usual.

• Feeling pressure from family dynamics, comments, or expectations.

• Feeling behind as the year ends and comparing your timeline to everyone else’s.

• Finding yourself shrinking or holding back to avoid judgment.

• When anxiety shows up suddenly and you do not understand why.