If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night wondering whether what you’re feeling is anxiety or stress, you’re not alone. I remember sitting in my car after a particularly exhausting workday, heart racing, palms sweaty, thinking, “Is this just stress… or something more?” It’s a question many of us wrestle with, especially when the…
Some of us don’t even realize how deep anxiety runs until we’ve spent a few minutes alone with our thoughts—and then wish we hadn’t. As an introvert myself, I can say it’s not always easy to explain the difference between just needing space and feeling like you’re drowning in it. But here’s the big question…
Have you ever exploded over something trivial and immediately regretted it? I’ve been there. I used to think I just had a “short fuse.” Turns out, it wasn’t about being an angry person — it was anxiety, cleverly disguised. Many people don’t realize that their bursts of frustration, irritability, or even silent resentment are often…
Ever felt like your mind is running a marathon before you even get out of bed? Yeah, me too. Anxiety has a sneaky way of creeping into our daily routines, often without us realizing it. That’s why having an anxiety checklist for daily self-assessment isn’t just helpful—it’s a sanity saver. Over the years, I’ve learned…
It’s easy to think anxiety only looks like panic attacks, shaky hands, or someone breathing heavily in a paper bag. But the truth? Anxiety wears a lot of different masks. I didn’t even realize I was struggling with it until a random Tuesday afternoon—just scrolling my phone and feeling oddly detached, like I was in…
I used to wake up with a dull ache in my lower back almost every day. Some mornings it felt like my spine had turned into a block of concrete overnight. You name it—I tried it: stretching, anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, even one of those posture-correcting gadgets. But something surprising happened when I shifted my focus…
There’s something about starting a new relationship that lights up your world—and completely flips it upside down. I remember early on with someone I really liked, my heart would pound just waiting for a text back. Even a “hey” felt like a high-stakes test. Sounds dramatic, right? But for those of us who experience anxiety…
Last week, I found myself sitting on the edge of my daughter’s bed, trying to find the right words to answer a question she asked out of nowhere: “Why does it feel like my heart beats too fast when I’m scared?” As a parent, especially one who’s dealt with anxiety my entire adult life, I…
If you’re anything like me, when anxiety hits, your brain turns into a chaotic buzz of thoughts, fears, and what-ifs. It’s overwhelming and often comes out of nowhere. One thing that changed my entire approach to managing those moments was building a self-care box — a physical, tangible toolkit I could turn to when my…