High-functioning anxiety is the quiet storm beneath a calm surface.
It’s when you’re crushing it—work, goals, life—but inside, your mind’s racing, overthinking every move, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
You look ‘fine,’ even thriving, yet you’re battling constant worry, perfectionism, rumination or that nagging need to stay busy.
It’s a hidden struggle where success masks the chaos—proof you can be high-achieving and still need a breather. You’re not alone in this; even the strongest carry silent weights.
And yet there are many tools to manage high functioning anxiety:
1) Breathe deep—slow, intentional breaths (like 4-7-8) to hit the reset button on your nervous system.
2) Set boundaries—say no without guilt; protect your energy. You can read about boundaries here & also here
3) Journal it out—dump the overthinking onto paper to declutter your mind.
4) Move your body—a walk, yoga, strength training or dance to shake off the tension.
5) Ground yourself—focus on your senses (5 things you see, 4 you feel) to stay present.
6) Talk it through— When you are feeling sad or overwhelmed, talking about it with a friend, a mentor or therapist can lighten the load.
7) Rest, unapologetically—perfection can wait.
8) Let how to let go. Things that out of your control do not deserve a permanent home in the sanctuary of your mind. Letting go is a powerful skill for our well-being
Small steps, big relief.
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