When people usually think of anxiety, it's not something that is talked about in a positive light because usually, it can be an annoying and even debilitating thing people have to deal with. Personally, my anxiety can affect the simplest things like making talking on the phone physically painful or it can give me panic attacks that turn me into a crying mess. Regardless, I’ve realized that my anxiety isn’t all bad and that it actually helps me with certain things.

1. Its made me avoid procrastination.

Having anxiety for me means that if I’m just sitting around doing nothing, my brain thinks I’m doing something wrong. Even worse is if I know that I have something due and that I haven’t done it yet. Knowing that this makes my anxiety even worse then normal comes as a sort of blessing since its pushed me to stop procrastinating.

2. Its made me more vigilant.

Normally whenever I am out and about my brain is always analyzing everything that is around me, whether it be conversations or people walking near us. Many times I’ve noticed that I’ve caught onto things that my friends and family don’t pick up on, like a car suddenly turning into the street we were about to cross or someone dropping their wallet. It has definitely helped me see things that if they had gone unseen would have caused a lot of trouble.

3. Its made me more empathetic with others.

Anxiety for me many times made me act in ways that normally I would not be like; it made me short tempered or very sad when normally I am an upbeat person. Over time I began to realize that the way I acted was sometimes not a correct depiction of what I am like, but rather the pressure of my worries and problems. It made me realize that others probably also had this dilemma, so I became much more understanding of others actions.

4. It makes me always have a backup plan.

With my anxiety, I am always thinking about what I would do if things don’t go as planned. This somewhat cynical process has come in handy because if things do end up changing, then I’ve already thought of another plan and can quickly implement it. It has definitely helped me in a lot of situations, and even when the plan does work out I am able to consider other possibilities in how I can achieve my goal.

5. Its made me rely on others.

Dealing with anxiety I had to learn how to ask others for help and guidance when the stress became too much. Whether it be asking for help with an assignment for school or simply just someone to rant to, I learned that asking for help isn’t just helpful, but its necessary to be able to deal with life. It makes the process of whatever I am doing so much more manageable so then my anxiety doesn’t spike.

Although I usually only bring up my anxiety when it is causing my problems with school, work or my social life, I’ve come to realize that it has also helped me improve as a person. Without it, I would not be the person I am so on some level I am thankful for it. When your anxiety is under your control rather then controlling you, it can be a useful and motivating tool in life.