"Anxiety is a constant battle for me and I want to represent overcoming that struggle one step, one day at a time. It stems from being okay with the uncontrollable while controlling what is within my power."
Anxiety would be represented as waves. It's a perpetual fight to keep the boat afloat. Waves are outside of a person's control, but one can be a captain of their ship and do what they can. I'm envisioning multiple identical figures in the water pushing a beautiful boat upwards. The mast and sails might extend onto the back a little.
Another figure jumping off the front of the boat would be under the collarbone. He's the figure who represents the days we fight for and peace of mind in the present. Free floating... almost flying he's so relieved. With the "one step at a time" theme it would show how each figure fights one on one for the main goal: to be at peace in the moment.
The figures in the front work together to accomplish holding the boat above the waves. It would make sense to have figures at the helm or throwing buckets of water off, but I think the twist that makes this about anxiety and not about an actual boat is that each figure represents your "one day at a time" theme. Each figure is one day. All the days put together and you (the boat) have a figure (a day) where you're flying.
Goes over the deltoid muscle. (Under the sleeve of a t-shirt.)