How to really address anxiety spikes?

So I feel like I’ve been making some progress as my pain has lessened and my courage in facing the physical issues has increased. I used to live in fear of every twinge and I’m doing better about talking myself down and developing a mantra when I need to literally tell my brain to cut it out.
But I feel less successful in my anxious reactions to other things like stressful events. Like anticipatory anxiety gets me every time and if I know something stressful is coming, I can feel it start building slowly in a snowball effect for days to a week prior. Now that my stress has come to a head today, I’m feeling anxious, my skin is tingling all over and my back and legs haven’t been this tight in months. With how I’m feeling today it’s like the last few months are one step forward and three steps back and I just don’t feel successful at all right now. It’s disheartening.
Any advice?

 

Hi Mars, I feel my pain lessening but it seems anxiety is filling the void. To me, it’s like my brain is sensing the change and maybe feels threatened by the change in the status quo.
If it’s nonsensical, I use an affirmation along the lines of “I’m safe and sound, so I have no fear and am now free of anxiety. My tum feels good”. (My tum gets palpitations and quivers). I don’t repeat it as a mantra, more like a repeated message of loving knowledge to myself. I believe what I am saying.
If I feel there’s a reason for the anxiety then I say “Isn’t this exciting, I’m going to .....”, and turn the wording from fear to excitement.
I feel my ship slowly turning around now, moving away from my troubled waters, and believe it or not, I’m learning to enjoy my journey (sort of).
Cheers marls

 

Thank you for your reply @Marls. I really like your ship analogy. It’s an easy visual and for some reason very comforting.