When you’re in the thick of anxiety, it’s easy to feel like you’re spinning your wheels. Many clients make the same mistake at the beginning of their healing journey. Instead of acknowledging the positive changes they are making, they constantly wonder when and how intensely they will feel anxious again.
Healing, or as I like to call it, outgrowing anxiety, doesn’t work like an on-off switch but more like a dimmer switch. Progress, as small as it may initially appear, often happens in ways you might not notice. So, to gain more confidence and keep the motivation to move forward, it is essential to understand the signs that show you’re not just managing anxiety—you’re healing from it.
Here are six powerful indicators that you’re making real progress.
1. Your Negative Thoughts Have Less Control Over You
You’ve started noticing that those anxious, spiraling thoughts aren’t quite as frequent and overwhelming as they used to be. Maybe they still come up, but they don’t stay with you for as long, and they don’t trigger such strong emotional reactions. Tracking your anxiety-triggering thoughts, especially if you have started to counter-balance them, can help you see just how far you’ve come in this area. You’re no longer trapped in the same cycle of negativity.
2. You Understand Your Triggers—and You’re Doing Something About Them
One of the biggest breakthroughs in managing anxiety is recognizing what sets it off. Whether it’s lack of sleep, low blood sugar, too much screen time, or isolation, being aware of the triggers that make things worse is enormous progress. It’s even better when you’re actively avoiding or managing these triggers better than before.
This awareness and action are clear signs that you’re no longer perceiving anxiety as something that happens to you and is out of your control. Instead, you are starting to take responsibility for your mind. After all, it is your mind that has been creating anxiety—and your mind can also learn to uncreate this emotion.
3. You’re Not Reacting When Anxiety Hits—You Are Deliberately Responding
When anxiety surfaces, instead of reacting with panic, you remind yourself that you have tools. Whether breathing exercises, journaling, countering negative thoughts, or meditation, you’re using techniques to calm yourself. You no longer feel at the mercy of your anxiety because you’ve built a toolkit that works for you. Every time you use these tools, it’s a victory.
4. You’re Becoming More Curious and Less Fearful About Anxiety
You used to wake up wondering when anxiety would strike. Now, instead of living in fear, you’re starting to get curious. When anxiety shows up, you ask yourself why.
You know now that anxiety isn’t your enemy; it’s just a messenger, and this shift in perspective is a significant step forward. Rather than feeling helpless, you’re feeling more empowered and in control.
5. You Realize That Anxiety Does Not Define You
Recognizing that you are more than your challenges is a powerful turning point. As you embrace the fact that anxiety is just one aspect of your life and not the sum of who you are, you gain the perspective needed to face and heal it and are more open to acknowledging the strengths, resilience, and inner resources you possess. You feel more deeply connected with yourself—beyond anxiety—and find it easier to access calm, confidence, and the belief that you can move through difficult emotions.
6. You’re Noticing a Broader Range of Emotions
Sue had been struggling with anxiety for several years. An overwhelming job, two toddlers, and a rocky marriage made her constantly feel overwhelmed or on high alert. After a few sessions, she noticed a strange sensation, which she described to me as “the absence of brain noise.”
At first, it almost felt uncomfortable to wake up and not immediately feel her mind racing and her anxiety amping up. But soon, she embraced this new quietness as a welcome relief. When her father was rushed to the hospital with what appeared to be a heart attack, naturally, her anxiety came back with a vengeance. Yet, Sue was surprised that when she sat at his bedside, holding his hand, the fear of losing her dad wasn’t at the forefront of her mind. What she felt most was love, compassion, and care for him.
As your anxiety lessens, you become more in touch with your emotional array. Maybe you’re feeling gratitude more often or finding moments of compassion for yourself. This broader emotional awareness shows that you’re no longer stuck in anxiety. You’re opening yourself up to experiencing a fuller and richer emotional life.
Take a moment to reflect on these signs and see if any resonate with you. Remember, healing doesn’t always happen in a straight line, but if you are committed and consistent, it is happening.