If you're feeling anxious about heading back to school , you're not alone . I've worked with countless teens and young adults who started their school year feeling overwhelmed , nervous and even scared . Today , I want to give you strategies that can help you get through those first weeks of back-to-school anxiety . Hi , and welcome back . To Block Out the Noise . This is your go-to podcast for teens and young adults who want to quiet the noise of anxiety , self-doubt and overthinking . I'm your host , jessica Davis , a licensed therapist , mindset coach and the creator of the Courage Method , which is a seven-step framework to help you break free from fear and build lasting confidence . In today's episode , we're getting super practical . I'm going to share with you seven tips to manage back-to-school anxiety . Hopefully these are strategies you haven't heard anywhere else . Hopefully , these are strategies you haven't heard anywhere else . If you're tired of generic advice like just breathe and stay calm , this episode is for you . And before we dive in , make sure you've grabbed your free anxiety survival toolkit from the show notes . It's packed with practical tools to help you manage anxiety anytime you need it , throughout the day . Also , this podcast is here to support and guide you , but it is not a replacement for talking to someone in real life If things ever feel overwhelming , please reach out to a professional , and if you're in a crisis , contact emergency services or a local helpline . You don't have to do this alone . All right , let's cut through the noise and get started .
Back-to-school anxiety comes from not knowing what to expect . There are new teachers , new peers and sometimes even a new environment . This can happen as early as kindergarten . All the way through college , you start to worry about what people will think of you . Will you like this school year , or even what potentially could go wrong . But this is all about how to take control over this narrative and set you up to stop the noise of intrusive thoughts and overthinking and build confidence . Strategy number one visualize things going right . When you're anxious , your mind tries to prepare you and so it thinks . By going over all the worst case scenarios , you will know what to expect . The thing is , the more thoughts and times we play things going wrong , we are setting up ourselves for things to go wrong . You might be thinking I can't control my thoughts and they seem to just come out of nowhere .
Jessica DavisI want to challenge you to find 10 minutes before you get out of bed to visualize things going well , that you have the best first day , or that today would be different from the rest . Maybe you've been crying every morning , but today you visualize yourself calm . You aren't crying . In fact , you are laughing with your peers . You're answering questions in class and you hardly ever participate , but today you do . You see yourself having fun . The day flies by because of it .
Jessica DavisThe goal is that you yourself visualize things going well . This may take practice . At first it will feel foreign and weird , but we all are capable of implementing this strategy . Use this as much as possible . Our brains are super powerful . The more you show your brain that things are going well then , the more the brain will believe it and start to change our thought process . Visualizing success actually helps reduce anxiety . Basically , the more you practice seeing yourself win , the more you will have wins .
Strategy number two ground yourself with a powerful playlist . Okay , now I know you're thinking I play music all the time . It's my way of coping , but the type of music you play is very important . Music evokes emotion in us . There are songs that will bring us to a favorite memory or a song that can make us cry . Songs that will bring us to a favorite memory or a song that can make us cry . Sometimes , when teens and young adults create playlists , the songs aren't uplifting . They are leading to feelings of sadness , depression or , honestly , the rhythm is so fast that it's creating worry within our body . You need to create a playlist that will instantly help bring motivation and encouragement when anxiety strikes . We are looking for feelings of confidence and joy . I would love it if you can add in the comments songs that you feel help motivate you so others have ideas of what to add to their playlist .
Strategy number three carry a small comfort item . This one people kind of associate with kids , but honestly , it can be effective at any age . Just like music can evoke different emotions , items can help us feel more secure and at peace . I used to wear a necklace with my favorite number . Whenever I was worried about something , I would just rub the necklace or adjust it and play with it . It served as a reminder that everything was going to be okay . It doesn't have to be something big for it to be effective . It could be a key chain , a bracelet , a watch or even a hair tie . It really doesn't matter what the item is . It's more about the significance to you . It could be a gift from a family member , a friend , or it could represent someone you look up to like a star or athlete . Find what works for you , carry it with you and you might be surprised on how much that helps reduce your anxiety .
Strategy four create a secret anxiety mantra . This is one of my favorite strategies . We all know the power of our thoughts and I personally have seen the power of using a mantra . It can embolden you , motivate you and carry you through . Often I feel like teens and young adults aren't aware of how often they are already doing mantras that aren't serving them . So , for example , if you are struggling with anxiety and someone is trying to help you through it and you're saying I can't , over and over again , that's a mantra . You are telling yourself internally and outwardly that you can't do it . Remember , the brain will believe what we tell it . So we want to come up with a mantra that actually helps us work through our anxiety . You want it to be short and something you can say privately but , if need be , also out loud . It could be I've got this , or just breathe , or it could be I can do it . You want it to be between like three to five words max . This personal mantra can ground you and shift you from anxiety to back and control . If any of these tips have been valuable , please take a moment to give us five stars on our podcast . Your support truly means the world to me . Also , grab your anxiety survival toolkit . It's packed with practical tools for managing anxiety . You can go grab it for free in the show notes .
Strategy number five practice , practice , practice . Sometimes our anxiety comes from just a lack of practice and knowledge . If you are able to go to your school early , sign up for orientation , ask for a tour before school starts if possible . If your school has already started , stay after and practice your schedule . Walk the halls , practice getting to your classes or work on your locker . Whatever you need to do to feel more comfortable in this new space , do it . So many teens and young adults are afraid to ask for help . They don't want to appear stupid , but we all have struggled finding things . But if you feel uncomfortable , asking practice can really help with this , especially if you can do it before school starts .
Strategy number six Write or play a morning pep talk . You might be thinking why are you giving me another morning thing to do ? If I'm visualizing my success , why do I have to add a morning pep talk . Well , research suggests that one negative thought can strongly impact your mood , and intentionally countering it with multiple positive thoughts can help balance and shift your mindset . So the more we pump ourselves with positive moments , positive thoughts , the better we will feel and the more our brains trust that we can get through . Also , this one can be pretty easy to add . You can write down three sentences to hype yourself up , or you can do journaling for five minutes . You'll probably be surprised what you can write or type within that time frame . It also would be cool to track where you are in the beginning of the year and see how far you've come down the road . I currently do this myself . I write for 20 minutes in the morning , but I feel like for teens and young adults , it doesn't have to be as long . Five to 10 minutes can be very helpful and impactful . It could be things you're looking forward to for that day . It could be the wins that you had from the previous day or just acknowledging that you are trying .
Jessica DavisIf writing or journaling isn't for you , then play a morning pep talk . This could be looking at motivational videos on YouTube , hearing a speech that inspires you , or listening to podcasts or audio books that are focused on self-development or improvement . There are tons of different options out there . I think even like commencement speeches for colleges are a really cool way of getting that motivational pep talk on life , and I'm a person who likes to play things on repeat , so you want to find something that really speaks to you . So you might have to try a couple of different videos or a couple of different audio books just to find the right one . But once you do , don't be afraid to play it every single morning Again . Sometimes it's best to stick to a routine . Know that you're getting that information or knowing that you're getting that blast of positivity can really help set the tone for the day .
Strategy number seven talk with AI . I know there are therapists out there that are anti-AI , but I clearly , if you've been listening long enough , you know that I'm not one of them . Ai isn't going anywhere and I really do believe it can be a resourceful tool . Ai should never replace professional therapy , particularly in crisis . It's good as an immediate support or coping , but for deeper issues it is important to speak to a mental health professional . Even AI itself gives this disclaimer , so it honestly knows its own limits .
Jessica DavisSo often teens and young adults will send out multiple text messages or snaps on how they're struggling throughout the day , especially in the beginning of the day , and it can really be overwhelming to friends and family on how to support them through it . I feel like AI is perfect in these moments . You can simply share your thoughts , your worries and tell it to help you through it . This can just be the supportive response that you need to get through the door or through the day . I like this tool because it's free . It can be an app on your phone and you can go back and forth with it like text message exchange .
Jessica DavisSome AI tools are better than others . I do feel like some AI . They just go on and on and they send you these massive long messages and you're like I just need you to get to the point . But again , it depends on the type of AI you're looking for , so try and test them out and see what works best for you . If your school doesn't allow phones and use during the day , then use it before you leave in the morning or on your way to school . Now , anxiety doesn't allow phones and use during the day , then use it before you leave in the morning or on your way to school . Now , anxiety doesn't get to define your school year .
You have more control and power than you give yourself credit for . These strategies might feel small , but if you do them , I know that it can lead to major improvements . Remember , strength grows every time you face your anxiety head on .
Jessica DavisNow for the courageous moment . Please take one of these seven and practice them . Pick the one that calls out to you the most and use it for at least a week . Try it out for one week straight . Literally set a goal for yourself of tracking those seven days , and before you try another one , of course , my full recommendation would be to try and do it for 30 days , because I think , honestly , it takes a long time for you to adjust to a rhythm and a routine , and seven days it might not track well , but do what you can . If you're gung-ho and you wanna do 30 , definitely do 30 .
Jessica DavisBut if you're starting off and you're like I don't even know if I really will like this strategy that I'm choosing , then just choose one . I truly hope that you have the best year yet and even if it's not because sometimes , right , every year can't be the best year that's just how it goes Just know that you can get through School doesn't define you . Your grades don't define you . Your character does so . Push yourself outside of your comfort zone , do what you can and just know I'm here rooting for you . Thank you so much for listening . Until next time , keep moving forward , trust yourself and never forget you have what it takes to block out the noise .