One of my friends recently experienced sudden bouts of anxiety. Since he knew I’ve been there too, he asked me: “How do you deal with anxiety?”

That’s a good question. In the past, I looked for ways to “get over” or “beat” anxiety. I was looking for a cure.

After reading dozens of books and hundreds of articles on the subject, I’ve found the answer: Anxiety can’t be cured. It must be dealt with.

Dealing with anxiety is an ongoing battle for most of us. It’s not a game or tournament. It’s not like you can beat anxiety once and be over with it forever.

Too often, people say they have “beaten” anxiety. I don’t buy that. The only way you can truly beat anxiety is if you hide from life’s hardship.