Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash

Let’s talk about (big) little Miss Anxiety

Allow me to present you (big) little Miss Anxiety (you probably know her very well). She’s usually very wise, except when she isn’t. She can be a big drama queen and make a tremendous scandal out of minor or imaginary threats.
She gets very chubby and panicky from watching too many movies (you know, the ones that we make in our heads). The worst snacks you can give her are: predicting the future, suffering from anticipation, being too harsh or demanding towards yourself, catastrophic thinking, or pampering too much your negative thoughts.

Try not to make bad movies just for her. Instead, invite her to watch realistic films. So, she is sensitive to the “bad movies” you play, so be mindful of what you’re making her watch.

For her to calm down, we need to be able to accept her presence in our lives (I know, it’s easier said than done). But we can start simple, breathe slowly, and allow ourselves to experience more the present sensations, especially those near us. Miss Anxiety can calm down when you notice the colors and shape of a beautiful flower, the sensation of the breeze on your skin, the birds singing, the lyrics of that music that takes your breath away, or when you feel the soft material of a fluffy pillow, and just like that (big) little Miss Anxiety stops in her tracks and sits down — lost in what you’re…