Episode 174: Overcoming Landlord Anxiety with Dr. Jennifer Salisbury
Summary
Do you ever get anxiety as a landlord? Where your heart is in your throat and your breathing is heavy? Maybe you have an unexpected encounter that caught you off guard, and has given you some heart ache. Me? I most recently had this happen when I had to prepare rent increase notices for my BC tenants; I got SUPER anxious. So what do I do to overcome anxiety as a landlord? Today’s episode I offer a few ideas to help calm your nerves and change your mindset. Join me as we calm the chaos.
Listen to the full episode :
This Week’s Blog Post:
What Anxiety Feels Like
Hi friends! I’m Dr. Jen, and in this episode of My Life as a Landlord, I’m talking about landlord anxiety—something I know I’m not alone in experiencing. Recently, we had a real estate deal start to wobble, a tenant acting up, and even a missed invoice that led to a late fee. Add in rent increase notices, and the anxiety started piling up. For me, anxiety feels like heavy breathing, lost sleep, looping thoughts, or my heart stuck in my throat. For you, it might feel different—but we all know that uneasy, unsettled state.
Calming the Loop
When I feel myself looping—running the same stressful thought again and again—I do a brain dump. I’ll grab a whiteboard or a notebook and just write down everything circling in my mind until there’s nothing left. Once it’s on the board or paper, it’s out of my head, and I can exhale and get back to sleep. The next morning, I’ll look at the list rationally, and usually the solution becomes obvious—like making a phone call, sending a letter, or simply accepting something as part of business.
Changing My State
Sometimes the best way to deal with anxiety is to change my state. Dan Martell says to tame your mind by exhausting your body—so I’ll go for a run, hit the gym, or take a shower to reset. Tony Robbins teaches that you can change your state with music and movement. For me, blasting songs like Lose Yourself or Watermelon Sugar while striking a power pose does wonders. These techniques shift my energy, clear my head, and remind me that I’m in control of how I respond.
Acting or Not Acting
Once I’ve calmed down, the real work begins. I ask myself: do I need to act, or is inaction the smarter choice? Acting could mean writing that warning letter, posting a rent increase notice, or calling an advisor to sort out a real estate deal. But sometimes silence is the best tool. If a tenant emails asking to pay rent late, I don’t have to respond—it’s already outlined in the lease. Choosing when to engage and when to step back helps me manage both the business and my own wellbeing.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, being a landlord and business owner comes with challenges, and anxiety is part of that journey. What matters is having tools to move through it—whether that’s a brain dump, a workout, music, or simply silence. These little tricks help me get out of the anxious state and back to solving problems.
I recorded this episode in Henry Bay off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on our boat No Regrets. Why? Because real estate takes you places. Where do you want real estate to take you? Join me in Episode 175, where Dan Dyble, Karen Hall, and I play Rental Roundtable Toastmasters style, part four. I’ll see you there!