Anxious? Remember One Thing Today
Let go of worry and dread with this simple practice.
Think of one thing you’ve been feeling anxious about, such as a health concern, something at work, or an issue in your family. There are lots of ways to deal with these kinds of fears about the future. One of my favorites can be as transformative as it is simple; it comes from Your Daily Reset, which came out today 😊 and offers 366 practical exercises to manage stress and anxiety:
When anxiety comes to mind, start by separating what’s real about the worrisome situation from what’s imagined. For example, you might know that you have high blood pressure but not know whether it will lead to complications. You might know you’re in a spat with your sibling but not know if it will lead to a permanent rift.
Then, take a slow breath and say to yourself:
“I have what I need right now.”
The “right now” is crucial. You can’t know what the future will bring. You can’t control everything that happens. And you can’t act on a future that doesn’t yet exist.
But you have what you need right now—and it’s always right now.
When tomorrow comes, you’ll have what you need then, too. If the thing you’re worried about actually happens, you’ll have what you need to respond. It might not be easy or painless, but you’ll be there doing what you need to do.
That’s the crucial difference: you. It seems obvious but it’s worth reflecting on. Your actual presence fundamentally changes the future that you’re worried about.
For example, a few years ago our kids came down with norovirus, and I was worrying that it would get me, too (which it did). When I was dreading the possibility of getting sick, I was powerless. Whatever was going to happen was already in the works, and I couldn’t know or change the future. All I could do was peer into the mist and try to guess what was going to happen as I mentally resisted the virus. In my worry it felt like I was on an island, alone with my problems and inadequate to handle them.
When the symptoms actually hit me, it wasn’t like that at all. It was really unpleasant and yet I had what I needed. I wasn’t alone. My body knew what to do. I was careful to stay hydrated. I rested. It was pretty miserable at times, but the anxiety was gone. The experience was more like, “Oh man,” and then, “OK, I guess this is what we’re doing now.”
Whatever happens in your own life, you won’t be stranded and alone, either. You’ll have what you need: your mind, your body, your heart. People who care about you.
Why waste a single moment worrying over anything unreal? You are now. Practice coming back to this reminder again and again today. Right now in this very moment, you have everything you need.
Podcast: Daily Practices for Managing Anxiety
In this episode Joel and I explore several practices for managing anxiety, taken from Your Daily Reset. Use these practices every day to loosen the grip of anxious thoughts and feelings and find greater peace.
With love,
Seth 💙
PS: Use one of these links to buy Your Daily Reset and a percentage of the purchase price will go toward supporting this newsletter, at no additional cost to you:
