Break the Anxiety Cycle, Part 3: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body 🧠➡️🏃
By Darrin Pfannenstiel, J.D., M.Ed., LPC | Eros Counseling
If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, chances are you’re spending a lot of time in your head. And not in the good way.
Anxiety loves to hijack your thoughts, pulling you into an endless loop of “what ifs”, second-guessing, and future catastrophizing. It can feel like you’re trying to think your way out of anxiety, but instead you just end up deeper in it.
The truth? One of the most effective ways to short-circuit anxious rumination is not with more thinking — but by getting out of your head and into your body.
🌪️ Why Your Mind Feels Like a Tornado
An anxious mind is usually a busy mind — racing thoughts, constant worry, and a sense that something bad is just around the corner. What’s actually happening is that your brain is scanning for threat, trying to predict and prevent danger. That’s part of what anxiety is — your nervous system going into overdrive to protect you.
The problem is, it’s a false alarm most of the time. And trying to mentally reason your way out of anxiety doesn’t always help — in fact, it can keep the loop going.
So instead of staying stuck in that mental tornado, you can disrupt the pattern by anchoring into the present moment — and the fastest way to do that is through your body.
🧘♂️ The Body Is Always Now
Your body doesn’t live in next week’s meeting or last month’s mistake. It lives right here, right now. When you shift your focus to physical sensations, you’re giving your brain something immediate and real to work with — rather than spinning stories about what might happen.
Here are a few ways to reconnect with your body in moments of anxiety:
Move. Go for a walk. Stretch. Dance. Shake out your limbs like a dog after a bath. Movement helps release nervous energy.
Feel your feet on the floor. Press them down. Notice the texture beneath you. Get grounded — literally.
Use your senses. Run your hands under warm water, smell something calming, or focus on five things you can see around you.
Try progressive muscle relaxation. Tense one muscle group at a time, then release. Notice the difference.
Breathe deeply and slowly, and place one hand on your chest or belly as you do. Let yourself feel the rhythm.
None of these techniques “fix” anxiety permanently — but they interrupt the spiral. And when you’re anxious, even a moment of interruption can be a turning point.
⚡ Bottom Line
Anxiety wants to pull you up into your head and trap you there. But your body is a powerful tool for coming back to center. When you get out of your thoughts and into your senses — even briefly — you start to break the cycle.
Next time anxiety shows up, don’t try to outthink it. Try to out-feel it. Ground down. Move. Breathe. Be where your body is: here and now.
🪷 Ready to Go Deeper?
If anxiety has you stuck in your head more than you’d like, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to untangle it all by yourself. Therapy can help you reconnect with yourself, your body, and your life in a grounded, lasting way.
If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out here to schedule a free consultation. Let’s talk about how we can work together.
About the Author
Darrin Pfannenstiel, J.D., M.Ed., LPC, is a therapist and former attorney based in Dallas, Texas. He works with high-functioning professionals and couples navigating anxiety, relationships, and life transitions. Through his practice, Eros Counseling, Darrin offers compassionate, insight-driven therapy grounded in real-world experience and emotionally focused approaches.
