Podcast Ep. 267: About Worst Case Anxiety Roller Coaster

In this week's episode of The Baggage Reclaim Sessions, I talk about how potentially frightening news about a parent's health ended up teaching me powerful lessons about managing anxiety and worries.

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5 key topics in this episode Are you a best-case scenario or worst-case scenario type? My default, the groove my brain goes into in potentially scary situations, is to anticipate and do what are essentially dress rehearsals for worst-case scenarios! Over the years, my awareness of this has helped me detach myself from anxious thoughts and have a sense of humor about my habits. Know your defaults so you can develop tools for self-management and self-soothing. Don't overfeed your anxious and worried fish. Anxiety and worry will eat up everything you feed them! You don't have to jump on every anxious train of thought, or ride a train of thought to a destination of horror. You can compassionately intervene on these anxious thought trains so as not to derail your well-being. The way we generally react to anxiety and fear is our protective device. It's not about how someone else responds right or wrong; it is a matter of self-awareness and compassion. It's also being honest about our habits instead of deceiving or judging ourselves. We have all been on a journey to this point which influences how we generally think, feel and behave today – our emotional baggage. This self-awareness also means we can practice empathy with others instead of assuming that everyone should feel, think and act the same way. Acknowledge with compassion the fears revealed by your anxiety and worry. In my case, acknowledging the fear of bearing all the blame for our parent gave way to compassion and meaningful conversations about expectations and roles. Express your anxieties to safe people so as not to isolate yourself and experience loneliness. You can access support, but you also get some context. Connecting with others about our struggles also allows us to see where we don't necessarily want to assume the worst. Mentioned Links + Recommended Resources
Subscribe and/or review Apple Podcasts (how-to guide here). It really helps make the show grow! If you're new to podcasts, learn more about what they are and how to subscribe to them with this handy guide.
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Podcast Ep. 267: About Worst Case Anxiety Roller Coaster

In this week's episode of The Baggage Reclaim Sessions, I talk about how potentially frightening news about a parent's health ended up teaching me powerful lessons about managing anxiety and worries.

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android

5 key topics in this episode Are you a best-case scenario or worst-case scenario type? My default, the groove my brain goes into in potentially scary situations, is to anticipate and do what are essentially dress rehearsals for worst-case scenarios! Over the years, my awareness of this has helped me detach myself from anxious thoughts and have a sense of humor about my habits. Know your defaults so you can develop tools for self-management and self-soothing. Don't overfeed your anxious and worried fish. Anxiety and worry will eat up everything you feed them! You don't have to jump on every anxious train of thought, or ride a train of thought to a destination of horror. You can compassionately intervene on these anxious thought trains so as not to derail your well-being. The way we generally react to anxiety and fear is our protective device. It's not about how someone else responds right or wrong; it is a matter of self-awareness and compassion. It's also being honest about our habits instead of deceiving or judging ourselves. We have all been on a journey to this point which influences how we generally think, feel and behave today – our emotional baggage. This self-awareness also means we can practice empathy with others instead of assuming that everyone should feel, think and act the same way. Acknowledge with compassion the fears revealed by your anxiety and worry. In my case, acknowledging the fear of bearing all the blame for our parent gave way to compassion and meaningful conversations about expectations and roles. Express your anxieties to safe people so as not to isolate yourself and experience loneliness. You can access support, but you also get some context. Connecting with others about our struggles also allows us to see where we don't necessarily want to assume the worst. Mentioned Links + Recommended Resources

Subscribe and/or review Apple Podcasts (how-to guide here). It really helps make the show grow! If you're new to podcasts, learn more about what they are and how to subscribe to them with this handy guide.