Feeling Anxious? These 5 Books Will Help You Tackle Your Stress Head-On
There was a time when anxiety felt like my constant companion. It followed me everywhere—in the quiet moments before sleep, in the middle of conversations, even when everything around me seemed fine. It wasn’t always loud. Sometimes, it was just a low hum in the background, a persistent tension that never fully disappeared. Other times, it was overwhelming, a wave that crashed over me before I even knew what was happening.
For the longest time, I tried to outrun it. I kept myself busy, filling every moment with distractions. But avoidance never truly works. The more I tried to push it away, the stronger it seemed to become.
It wasn’t until I stopped running—until I sat with my anxiety, listened to it, tried to understand it—that things started to shift. And books played a huge role in that process. They became my guides, my reminders that I wasn’t alone, and my proof that anxiety didn’t have to control my life.
Here are five books that helped me tackle stress head-on. Maybe they’ll help you too.
1. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
I remember reading this book and feeling something click into place. It was the first time I truly considered the idea that my thoughts were not me. That the anxious voice in my head—the one constantly narrating worst-case scenarios—was just that: a voice. And I had the power to step back and observe it, rather than getting tangled in its web.
Singer’s words taught me that I didn’t have to fight my anxiety or force it away. Instead, I could notice it, acknowledge it, and let it pass through me like a breeze instead of a storm. It was a shift in perspective I hadn’t realized I needed.
Journal Prompt: What anxious thought have I been holding onto? What happens if I simply observe it instead of engaging with it?
2. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski
Anxiety and stress often go hand in hand. I used to think that once a stressful situation was over, the feeling would automatically disappear. But this book showed me otherwise. Stress, they explained, is a cycle. And if we don’t complete the cycle—through movement, creative expression, or connection—it lingers.
Reading this, I finally understood why I still felt anxious even when nothing was “wrong.” I started experimenting with ways to release stress instead of just waiting for it to fade on its own. Dancing in my room. Taking deep breaths outside. Writing until the tension eased. Small things, but powerful ones.
Journal Prompt: How do I usually deal with stress? What’s one new way I can complete the stress cycle today?
3. Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
This book met me at a time when I needed it most. Anxiety had me caught in a cycle of self-judgment—frustrated with myself for feeling this way, for not being “stronger,” for not having it all together. But Brach’s words reminded me that self-compassion is just as important as self-improvement.
She introduced me to the phrase, This moment is like this. A simple statement, but one that helped me accept what I was feeling without resistance. Instead of fighting my anxiety, I started meeting it with kindness. And that changed everything.
Journal Prompt: What would it look like to meet my anxiety with compassion instead of frustration?
4. The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
Before reading this book, I thought the goal was to get rid of anxiety. But Harris introduced me to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which taught me that struggling against it often makes it worse. Instead of trying to eliminate anxious thoughts, I learned to accept them, make space for them, and focus on what truly mattered.
One exercise stuck with me: imagining my anxious thoughts as radio static in the background. They might still be there, but I didn’t have to turn up the volume. I could let them play while continuing to move forward.
Journal Prompt: What’s one thing I want to do, even if anxiety is present?
5. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky
This book took a scientific approach to stress, and for someone who likes to understand why things happen, it was eye-opening. Sapolsky explained how our bodies react to stress, why chronic stress affects our health, and most importantly, what we can do about it.
It reminded me that anxiety isn’t just in my mind—it’s in my body too. And if I wanted to manage it, I had to care for my nervous system. That meant prioritizing sleep, movement, and moments of joy. It meant giving myself permission to rest.
Journal Prompt: What’s one small thing I can do today to support my nervous system?
Moving Forward
Anxiety still shows up sometimes. I don’t think it will ever completely disappear, and that’s okay. The difference now is that I know what to do when it arrives. I don’t panic. I don’t fight it. I acknowledge it, use the tools I’ve learned, and remind myself that it will pass.
Books gave me those tools. They became my teachers, my reminders that healing isn’t about never feeling anxious again—it’s about learning how to navigate it with more ease, more self-compassion, and more trust in myself.
And if you’re in that place of overwhelm right now, feeling like anxiety has a grip on you, maybe one of these books will help you the way they helped me. Maybe they’ll remind you, as they reminded me, that you are not alone.
Journal Prompt: What’s one thing I want to take away from this entry?
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