It took me years—and a few major burnouts—to understand that my anxiety wasn’t just about racing thoughts or sleepless nights. It was about boundaries. Or more accurately, the lack of them. If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when your gut screamed no, felt physically sick from guilt after setting a limit, or overexplaining your…
Ever get that sudden wave of panic out of nowhere? Your heart starts racing, your thoughts spiral, and you’re stuck in your own head. That used to happen to me more often than I’d like to admit. Until I stumbled onto something surprisingly simple: grounding objects. Not a therapist’s tool, not a big expensive solution—just…
If you’ve ever felt more anxious than usual and couldn’t quite figure out why, I’ve been there—and more often than not, it wasn’t about stress, sleep, or even caffeine. Turns out, the real culprit was something way simpler: dehydration. Yep. Not drinking enough water quietly amps up anxiety, and once I paid attention to my…
It’s funny how a simple “Can I speak to your manager?” can send a chill down your spine when you work in customer service. If you’ve ever felt your heart race before picking up the phone or breaking into a sweat over a difficult email, you’re not alone. I’ve been there—handling an angry client while…
Last week, I walked into a grocery store and was hit with a strong scent of cinnamon from a nearby bakery section. Within seconds, I felt my chest tighten, my heart race, and a surge of panic that seemed to come out of nowhere. It wasn’t the smell itself — it was the memory tied…
I’ve always been someone who’d rather eat cold spaghetti in a dark room than have a direct confrontation. And it’s not just me—if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve felt that rising tension in your chest, the instant flood of dread, or the looping thoughts that come with just the *idea* of confronting someone. Fear…
It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never dealt with it—how even a small bill in the mail can make your chest tighten or a sudden dip in your bank account balance can leave you frozen with fear. I used to brush it off as just “money stress,” but the truth is, anxiety around financial…
It’s wild how anxiety can sneak up on you, right? One minute you’re fine, and the next, it feels like a truckload of stress just parked itself on your chest. I used to think I could push through it. “Just breathe,” people would say. But when you’re in the thick of it—hands shaky, mind racing,…
Back when I started college, I had no idea that juggling coursework, social expectations, and my own perfectionist mindset would trigger something deeper—constant, nagging anxiety. At first, I thought it was just stress. But over time, I realized it wasn’t just the pressure of midterms or trying to find my place in a sea of…