7 Powerful Tools to Overcome Anxiety

Everyone feels anxiety—it’s part of how we’re designed. At its best, anxiety gives us the push we need to face challenges. But when it takes over, it can derail our lives, relationships, and clarity of purpose. Thankfully, there are tools to overcome anxiety.

For years, I struggled to find consistent relief—not just from the anxiety itself, but from the confusion around how to handle it as a Christian man. I’ve since learned that most of us were never taught how to work with anxiety in healthy, biblical, or practical ways.

That’s why I launching a men’s discipleship community focused on spiritual growth and emotional resilience. It’s designed to help you get out of survival mode, reconnect with God, and build strength from the inside out. These seven tools are part of what I teach—and they’re a great place to start right now.

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The Chicken or the Egg?

Anxiety is tricky—it feels like a mental and emotional loop with no clear beginning. Does the brain create the anxiety, or do anxious habits shape the brain?

The truth is, it doesn’t matter where it starts. What matters is this: the cycle can be broken. You can train your mind, body, and spirit to respond differently. That’s what I’m helping men do—one step at a time.

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Why We Can’t Just “Think” Our Way Out of It

Anxiety isn’t just about thoughts—it’s rooted deep in the emotional processing centers of the brain (the limbic system). That’s why pure logic doesn’t work. We have to engage more deeply—with our bodies, our habits, and our faith.

If you’ve felt like nothing works long-term, it may be because you’ve only been treating symptoms. True peace comes from retraining your mind, reshaping your reactions, and rebuilding your habits—with God in the center of it all.

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I Use (and Teach) These 7 Tools to Overcome Anxiety

1. Breathing Techniques

My go-to: Box breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, and hold for 4. Do this for five minutes. It forces your body to reset and calms your stress response. It’s also a great gateway into prayer or reflection.

2. Meditation

Two kinds help me:

• Trying to think of nothing (just focusing on breath).
• Focusing on one powerful idea—like a scripture or God’s faithfulness.
  Both give your mind a break and help you reset.

3. Prayer

Prayer isn’t performance—it’s relationship. Speak your anxiety out loud to God. He’s not surprised. He wants you to know what He already knows. If you need a starting point, I created a 30-day devotional to walk you through prayer and peace. Sign Up Here.

4. Laughter

You might feel too weighed down to laugh. That’s okay. Fake it if you have to. Watch a comedy. Make yourself smile. It may sound silly, but laughter is a powerful release valve for the mind.

5. Exercise

When there’s nothing you can do about what’s stressing you, move anyway. Break a sweat. Go for a walk. Lift something heavy. It calms the storm inside and helps you sleep better too.

6. Focus Work

Try writing down your thoughts and organizing them. Find patterns. Name the worries. Break them into buckets. Solutions often show up in the process. This is a form of mental leadership—and it’s something I coach men through in the group.

7. Essential Oils

This one’s personal. I’ve used oils for years. They’re not magic, but they help. Lavender, orange, and frankincense are my top picks. Use with a carrier oil, and make sure you’re getting a high-quality source. I wrote more about that here.

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What’s Next?

You don’t have to fix anxiety overnight. But you can start building better habits. These tools to overcome anxiety give you relief—but if you want to get to the root and reshape how you respond to stress, that’s what my free men’s group is for.

It’s for men who are tired of just surviving.
Men who want to grow stronger.
Men who believe God has more for them.

We’ll go beyond tips and into transformation—emotionally, spiritually, and practically.

👉 Join us here.
You’re not stuck. You’re on the verge of a breakthrough.