Cold water, familiar scents, music, laughter, and a worry box are some of the real tools Sandy Davis, Claudia J. Cuevas, LMFT, and Taína Galarza, LMSW, use when anxiety begins taking over. In Part 1, they discussed how anxiety can show up physically through chest tightness, shaking hands, stomach issues, brain fog, sleeplessness, unexpected tears, and decision fatigue. In Part 2, Building Your Anxiety Toolkit, they move from recognizing anxiety to discussing practical ways to respond when it begins taking over your thoughts, body, and decisions. Claudia walks through the items she carries in her personal self-care toolkit, including strong mint, aromatherapy, electrolytes, cold packs, and other sensory supports. Sandy shares how cold water, familiar scents, verbal reassurance, humor, nostalgia, and movies that remind her of home help her feel grounded. Taína discusses why sound, community, intentional touch, somatic practices, and paying attention to where anxiety lives in the body may help create relief and a greater sense of safety. These tools are not intended to pretend the problem has disappeared. Their purpose is to create enough space to interrupt the spiral, reconnect with the present, and make decisions from a steadier place instead of survival mode. IN THIS EPISODE: • How to build a personal anxiety or self-care toolkit • Why grounding can help you respond differently • How anxiety affects judgment and makes everything feel urgent • Using scent, sound, touch, taste, temperature, and movement • Cold water, familiar scents, music, laughter, and nostalgia • Verbal reassurance and speaking safety out loud • The difference between knowing you are safe and feeling safe • Somatic practices and intentional touch • Meeting your physiological needs • Claudia’s pocket pharmacy • The worry box and giving your worries somewhere to rest overnight • Why isolation and shame can intensify anxiety • Reaching out without apologizing for needing another person • Why strong, high-achieving women still need safe places to be honest The group also discusses the pressure many women experience to keep functioning through discomfort, remain approachable, and continue supporting everyone else without acknowledging their own needs. Anxiety can make us feel isolated or ashamed. It can convince us that we should be able to push through alone. This conversation is a reminder that asking for help does not erase your strength. Sometimes you do not need someone to solve the problem. You simply need another human being to sit beside you while you find your way back to yourself. What belongs in your anxiety toolkit? Share this episode and let us know what helps you return to a grounded baseline. BRING ELEVATE WITHIN TO YOUR COMMUNITY Sandy Davis and Claudia J. Cuevas bring these conversations to women’s networks, professional organizations, employee communities, and local groups through workshops, webinars, facilitated conversations, and custom series. They cover burnout, anxiety, grief, identity changes, boundaries, self-trust, reinvention, cultural pressure, and what it means to lead and succeed without losing yourself. Programs are available virtually nationwide and in person throughout Greater Los Angeles Region, Orange County, Inland Empire and San Diego. LEADERSHIP ADVISORY Sandy Davis also provides private Leadership Advisory for leaders, owners, and decision-makers navigating underperformance, accountability, delegation, conflict, burnout, difficult client relationships, or a decision they are struggling to make. She helps them understand what is driving the situation, determine what needs to change, and decide what to do next. A complimentary initial conversation is available. CONNECT WITH ELEVATE WITHIN Substack: https://substack.com/@elevatewithin Website Sandy Davis: https://elevateopsadvisory.com LinkedIn: Sandra Davis [sandra-davis-abb21236] Website Claudia Cuevas, LMFT: https://claudiacuevas.com/ Connect with Taína Galarza: https://www.modernalchemix.com/ If this episode resonated with you, follow Elevate Within, share the conversation, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews help more women discover the show. Please note: This episode shares personal experiences and general educational information. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, psychotherapy, or mental health treatment. Discussions of essential oils, cold exposure, electrolytes, and body-based practices reflect personal experiences and general information. Follow product instructions and consult a qualified professional regarding your individual health needs. And if no one told you they loved you today, I love you.