50 Quotes That Will Help End Your Anxiety Spiral

Have you ever received well-intentioned (yet utterly unhelpful) advice after starting an anxiety spiral? For example:

“Look on the bright side!”

“Complaining only wastes your time.”

And my current “favorite” demotivational quote: “No work is stressful, it is your inability to manage your body, mind and emotions that makes it stressful.” Whoever said this has never been a teacher. (Check out 5 Ways to Stay Happy as a Full-Time Teacher for more.)

Even the people who genuinely try to help can miss the mark, and that’s okay. However, in the end it’s up to you to actually find quotes and develop habits that will stop your anxiety spiral in its tracks. Learning to take care of yourself, identify your triggers, and notice when anxious thoughts are developing into more is a huge undertaking.

As I have learned to manage my anxiety, I have discovered many different ways to survive the storm. From podcasts to calming baths, doodling to motivational quotes, each little tool helps nudge me away from the edge. I have been saving my favorite quotes for a while now, and it’s time to share the ones have proven the most helpful. Hopefully, these quotes are another tool you can put in your anxiety/self-care toolbox!

(Quote images included, just for you.)

on taking care of yourself

It’s time to slow down and allow your body and mind to rest.

If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.

I am centered and at peace.

Life is magical when we are bold and have the courage to move forward into the unknown, rather than backwards into security.

Take the time today to be good to you, in thoughts, deeds, and actions – but especially in your thoughts.

Trust your journey.

Triggers can happen when you least expect them. When you think all the emotional wounds are healed something can happen that reminds you there is still a scar.

If you don’t love yourself in a healthy way, you will never be able to love others in the way that you should.

Give yourself a break from overthinking. It’s okay to not know all the answers. They’ll come to you in time.

How other people see me and what they feel about me if their business, not mine.

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

You are a work in progress, which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.

Realize that you have the power to do, be or create anything in your life. Anything.

Only when you are kinder to yourself, you can be kinder to the world.

on relationships

Nothing gives you a better high than helping other people achieve their goals.

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

When words are both true and kind, they can change the world.

Some people are only meant to teach you a lesson about what not to settle for again.

Love is made up of three unconditional properties in equal measure; acceptance, understanding, and appreciation. Remove any one of the three and the triangle falls apart.

You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.

Go after dreams, not people,

When it hurts to move on, just remember the pain you felt hanging on.

Kindness in words creates confidence, Kindness in thinking creates profoundness, Kindness in giving creates love.

Losing love will teach you what you need and want in someone else.

If you live for people’s acceptance you’ll die from their rejection.

on positive thinking

You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a negative person. It makes you human.