Shark Week

My family is obsessed with Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.  My kids make decorations for the house and we have a viewing every night.  

On a recent episode, Will Smith confronts his fear of the ocean and sharks.  He says something in the episode that had a profound impact on me:

"Fear is not real.  The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future.  It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist.  Do not misunderstand me.  Danger is very real, but fear is a choice." 

For me, the word "fear" can be replaced by "anxiety."   I am generally a Type A, multi-tasking machine.  As a result, I am often anxious.  I worry about COVID-19 and keeping my family safe.  I worry about my office and how to keep my staff and patients safe.  I worry about online schooling and how to make sure my kids don't fall behind.  I even worry about my kids' excessive screen time and if all the blue light exposure will ruin their eyes.  Basically, I am stressed out.  

This quote really hit home for me.  My stressors are real.  But my anxiety is all in my head.  How I cope and deal with the external circumstances in my life is a choice.  That is really mind blowing.  Now the question is, HOW do I confront conflicts in my life without allowing anxiety to consume me???