Stop digging your anxiety hole and drop the rope

Sarah, a nonprofit director, spent years pulling against her anxiety pit. Budget crises, staff conflicts, and every board meeting felt like she was digging deeper, each worry another shovel-full. On sleepless nights she mentally rehearsed worst-case scenarios until exhaustion swallowed her.

In leadership coaching, she learned to use the hole metaphor. In a sunlit conference room, she closed her eyes and pictured herself at the edge of a terrifying pit labeled “anxiety.” She felt her arms tremble as she held the rope. Then, with a quiet gasp, she let it fall. Her shoulders dropped, and for the first time in months, her chest expanded with relief.

Next, she imagined solid ground ahead. She wrote down one small step—drafting a clear communication plan—and took it the next morning. The energy she once poured into fearful anticipation was now invested in practical action. Her team noticed the shift: fewer frantic emails, more strategic discussions.

This metaphor works because it externalizes suffering—distinct from who you are—and offers a fresh choice. Neuroscientists explain that when you stop reinforcing fear loops, prefrontal pathways regain control over the amygdala’s alarm bells. That’s how leaders like Sarah move from chaos to clarity.

Picture your anxiety as a deep pit you’ve fallen into, each churn of worry only digging you in further. Feel the strain on your arms as you struggle with the rope. Now—release it. Physically imagine the rope slipping from your grip and notice your shoulders drop. Step away from the lip of the pit onto firm ground and choose one purposeful next move—a plan, a conversation, a break. That act of letting go and moving forward cuts through fear loops and draws your brain’s attention toward solutions—give yourself that gift today.