It's a Stressful Time
By Paige Cohen, Senior Editor
I’ve had anxiety since I can remember. As a kid, it manifested as OCD. In stressful moments, a threatening voice would pop into my mind: “Knock on wood 10 times—or else something terrible will happen.”
As I got older, that voice began to talk faster, so fast the words blurred into a feeling I’d describe as doom. It wasn’t relentless, but it did show up in unfamiliar situations. When making new friends, it told me I was saying the wrong things. When I entered the workforce, it told me to stay quiet and small. The voice was fueled by fear—thoughts that took over in the face of uncertainty, circling around the worst possible outcome.
Over the past several years, I’ve done a lot of work to manage my anxiety. A combination of therapy and medication have helped me gain confidence and separate fact from fiction (rather than catastrophize) when I’m under stress. But … it never goes away entirely.
Although I have more tools at my disposal, these days—between the polarizing U.S. election, violent wars abroad, natural disasters, and what feels like a stream of bad news in the media—it can be challenging not to feel triggered. At work, it can be challenging to stay energized and focused.
If you’re also struggling with difficult feelings, stress, or anxiety right now, it’s important you know that you’re not alone. One thing that helps me is remembering that no feeling is permanent. Sadness, fear, worry—each emotion comes and goes. If we can honor them, and then let them pass, we can make room for hope and joy as well.
Below I've included a few articles that I've found helpful. I hope you’ll find them useful, too.
Recommended Reads
An Anxious Person’s Guide to Managing Anxiety
Curated tips from the HBR archive.
How to Talk to Your Team After Election Day
Advice for keeping your comments brief, respectful, and focused—no matter the results.
When the World Is Too Distracting—and It Feels Impossible to Work
Advice to help you support yourself, your team, and your organization.
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Editor's note: The opinions expressed here are for general informational purposes only. If you have concerns about an anxiety disorder , we recommend reaching out to a medical professional.?