Bonus Episode: The Two Things Anxious People Do That Makes Everything Worse

Summary: In this episode, I talk about two very common mistakes anxious people make that actually keep anxiety cycles going stronger: responding with urgency and treating every thought, feeling, or sensation as incredibly important. I share a personal story from volunteering at a school bake sale, where I caught myself rushing, overperforming, and reacting as if everything was high stakes, even though there was no real danger present.

I explain how anxiety itself is not necessarily the problem, but rather the way we respond to it. When we treat anxious thoughts or feelings as urgent and important, we teach the brain that they truly are dangerous. Whether it’s a “what if” thought, physical anxiety symptoms, or fear of judgment, acting from urgency reinforces the anxiety cycle and keeps the nervous system on high alert.

Most importantly, I walk you through what to do instead. The goal is not to convince yourself that nothing matters or to magically make the feeling disappear. Instead, it’s about slowing down your actions even while your body still feels urgency inside. I share how I practiced this in real time by deliberately slowing my movements, pausing, and responding differently even though my body still felt stressed. This episode is really about learning how to stop reinforcing anxiety and beginning to show your brain that discomfort does not always require an urgent response.