our inner critic tends to get loud when anxiety shows up, pouring fuel onto the fire. The more we judge ourselves for our emotional reactions, the worse it gets. Try to shift your focus and foster a voice of compassionate curiosity. Contextualising why you feel the way you do, and asking yourself why, when, how, what and where, can be a useful start.

in a simple nutshell, emotions need validation in order to be processed effectively. The more you allow space for your emotions, the more you express them (in a healthy way), the more the emtoional response comes down.

Reminding yourself that emotions peak, and then they dissipate, can be a useful perspective to remind yourself of. This storm will pass, even though it doesn’t feel like that in the moment.

Deep breathing in acute moments of crisis goes a long way. Good sleep, good nutrition, and exercise are some basic cornerstones that will help your nervous system to remain regulated over time.

Anxiety shows up when we feel unsafe for some reason. Understanding that can make a difference to how we respond to our emotions in the heated moments. Ask yourself when you feel most safe. Remind yourself that you are probably safer than you feel. Seek out people who make you feel safe and are trustworthy. Avoid sharing your vulnerability with anyone who will be dismissive or try to give you advice too soon.

Negative emotions are powerful. They’re compelling. They convince us of all sorts of worst case scenarios that play out in our minds. Remind yourself that how you feel often doesn’t mean you are in danger, even though the emotions will make you feel that way. Emotions are simply signals - they alert us to something that we need on a deeper level.