Ever feel like your heart races just thinking about walking into a room full of people? Yeah, same. I used to dread presentations, casual meetups—even ordering coffee if too many people were around. That constant worry about what others might think? It quietly ran my life for years. Anxiety and the fear of being judged…
Anxiety triggers. We all have them, and if you’re anything like I used to be, you might have perfected the art of dodging them. But here’s the thing—avoiding anxiety triggers feels good in the moment, yet it slowly steals your ability to handle life. I learned this the hard way when even small things, like…
Ever sat there overthinking a simple message you sent, wondering if it sounded “too much” or “too needy”? Yeah, me too. That lingering fear of being dismissed or not accepted—it’s exhausting. For a while, I didn’t even realize I was avoiding situations just to dodge the possibility of rejection. Turns out, I wasn’t alone. The…
There was a time when I didn’t even realize how brutally I was speaking to myself. I’d mess up one small thing at work or forget a commitment, and this inner voice would chime in with, “You’re so careless,” or “You always screw things up.” Over time, I began noticing that this constant stream of…
Ever caught yourself sabotaging a perfectly good opportunity just because your mind whispered, “You’re not good enough”? Yep, I’ve been there too. Sometimes it’s subtle—like procrastinating that job application until it’s too late. Other times it’s more blatant, like ghosting a potential partner because the fear of being seen feels paralyzing. That’s what anxiety does….
If you’ve ever found yourself ducking out of a social gathering, skipping a work call, or avoiding a triggering place or person—all because your chest tightens, your palms sweat, and your mind says “run”—you’re not alone. I’ve done it. Many times. At first, it felt like self-preservation. But eventually, it became a cage. In anxiety…