I Let the Feeling Exist Without Panicking About It

Dear Delyara, A wave of anxiety came over me today, and I didn’t immediately panic about panicking. That may be one of the least glamorous victories I’ve ever had, but it felt real. Usually, when anxiety shows up, I add a second layer of fear on top of it. Why is this happening? What if it gets worse? What if I can’t control it? What if people notice? What if this ruins the whole day? Today I just noticed it. I breathed. I sat down. I let it be uncomfortable. And eventually it passed. I’m learning that not every hard feeling needs a second hard feeling attached to it.