What People Think Anxiety is- What Anxiety Actually is

How to deal with anxiety?
Ever used the CIA model?
It can help you deal with anxiety.

“CIA” stands for:
→    Control
→    Influence
→    Acceptance
Let’s see how to use it — with a practical example.

1.    First off, think about a specific situation that’s causing you anxiety.
For example, let’s say you have a big presentation at work next week.
And you feel a bit nervous about it.
Well, grab your journal and describe the situation in detail.
Jot down how it makes you feel.
And how it’s affecting your daily life.

2.    Alright, now we are more aware of that, right?
Great! Now it’s time to use the CIA model.
“Uhm, how?”

By breaking down the situation into 3 areas:
→    Control
→    Influence
→    Acceptance
Let’s see them in detail.

1.  Control Area

Ask yourself:
→    What are the aspects of the situation that I have control over?

These could be:
→    Your actions
→    Your thoughts
→    Your decisions
→    Your behaviors

For example, coming back to your presentation, you can control:
→    How much time you dedicate to preparing for the presentation

2.  Influence Area

Ask yourself:
→    What are the aspects I can’t control but can still influence?

These could be:
→    Sharing your needs
→    Getting support from others
→    Finding information and resources

For example, in your presentation:
→    You could reach out to a colleague for feedback on your presentation

3.  Acceptance Area

Ask yourself:
→    What aspects of the situation are beyond my control that I can simply accept?

These could be:
→    Other people’s reactions
→    External circumstances
→    Uncertain outcomes

Here the key is shifting your mindset towards acceptance.

So, for example, what you can do is:
→    Practice relaxation techniques
→    And remind yourself that it’s okay to feel anxious sometimes.