2021-02-08 On dealing with anxie

There are a lot of reasons to be anxious. Not just now, but at any given time in history. It’s the human condition.

The truth is that we’re fragile beings. I can go outside right now for a walk, slip on a banana, hit my head on the curb, and it’s lights out. There are a million bad things that could happen to you and me. But as Epictetus once said, “If you want to make progress, stop feeling anxious about things.”

So what? You can’t make people like you — and that’s fine. The world is a big place. There are always people who will like you. If you’re a good person and are aware of your own behavior, there’s no need to ever worry about what others think of you. That’s not your problem.

What about the economy and the future? Yes, that’s another favorite topic for everyone who struggles with anxiety. What if you lose your job? What if there’s a new virus? What if people no longer buy your products?

We can train ourselves not to be anxious about these things. The key is to practice detachment. Start with small things. Let’s say you bought 100 I lost. It might come back, or it might not. Either way, I’m happy to detach from this loss so I can have peace of mind. There are more important things.”

You see, anxiety is always about fear. We fear that reality is different than our expectations. But reality doesn’t have to match our expectations for us to feel less anxious. Epictetus explained this well: “Things may not work out the way you want. When you choose not to be anxious, you do it in spite of your unfulfilled expectations. What you lose is what you pay for your peace of mind.”