Taking action despite anxiety · worksheet 05
Anxiety often says “wait until you feel better”. Your values, on the other hand, point in a direction. You can move forward with anxiety in your pocket.
Before you start
- What it is for: To choose a small step guided by what matters to you, instead of waiting for anxiety to disappear before you live.
- About 10 minutes to fill in the top part, then one minute a day for a week.
- Anxiety doesn’t need to go down before you start: the aim is to take a small step even while it is there.
- If you don’t know what your values are, open “Word ideas” below or start with worksheet 34.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
What counts is taking the step, not the anxiety you felt. If you did it with anxiety at 6/10, that is a success. If you didn’t do it, the step may have been too big: make it smaller.
If you find it hard
If you don’t know what your values are, start with worksheet 34 (the values target). Be wary of “shoulds”: a value is chosen.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Help the person identify what matters to them in one area of their life and choose a small committed action, even with anxiety, instead of waiting for it to go away.
Avoidance due to anxiety, life “on hold”, loss of meaning. Useful after the defusion and anchoring worksheets. Duration: 20 min in session, follow-up over 1-2 weeks.
References
Wilson, K. G. & Murrell, A. R. (2004). Values work in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Setting a course for behavioral treatment. In S. C. Hayes, V. M. Follette & M. M. Linehan (Eds.), Mindfulness and Acceptance: Expanding the Cognitive-Behavioral Tradition (pp. 120-151). Guilford.
Harris, R. (2019). ACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2nd ed.). New Harbinger.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
