The Doing Well Newsletter | Vol. 16
by Jesse Katches
Breaking Your Anxiety Routine
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” - Albert Einstein
STORY OF THE WEEK
i just returned from Paris! and while i would like to send an email recapping the experience (coming next week), i first wanted to share how i felt leading up to the adventure and how it reminded me of the time i first travelled internationally on a trip to Thailand and Indonesia…
this was at a time of my life when i felt trapped. trapped in my career, in my same old patterns and routines, and worst of all, trapped in my mind, battling severe health anxiety on a daily basis. so while i was excited to get away and see the world, i was also terrified about the idea of getting on a plane and travelling to an unfamiliar land, leaving my securities behind.
so i debated - should i go? should i stay? part of me craved the change of scenery and the adventure, while another part said “stay back, you’re comfortable here, don’t risk more anxiety and panic by breaking the familiar routine.”
of course, as i stated above, i did in fact end up going on that trip, and guess what happened? while away in a foreign land, separated from everything i knew, as my mind was flooded with new ideas, sights, smells, and sounds, something amazing happened… i felt better than i had in years.
did i still experience anxiety during the trip? yes, but minuscule compared to the storm i encountered on a daily basis while home in my “comfortable” surroundings.
so aside from the pleasure of exploring new cultures and expanding my horizons, i learned an invaluable lesson on that trip…
if you continue doing all the same things day after day, you’ll continue to reinforce the same life story you’ve always known.
see, often times we gravitate towards the very thing that is keeping us stuck - comfort and the need for control. it’s familiar, it feels safe, and we feel protected. but in reality, it’s often the need to be in control and remain comfortable that is the very thing that is holding us back.
for me, taking that step and travelling to Asia for the first time when i felt scared out of my mind broke my familiar pattern and opened my eyes to a world of possibilities, but the good thing is, we don’t need to travel out of the country to break our familiar patterns and invite some discomfort into our lives - that’s something we can do every day.
so, if i may suggest a small challenge - do something today that you wouldn’t usually do, big, or small - start a conversation with a stranger, book that trip you’ve been considering, post that video that you’re self-conscious about, whatever it is, take that step beyond what’s comfortable and break that familiar pattern you’ve come to know so well.
and if you do this often enough, i think you’ll find that the accumulation of these small steps will lead you to great places that you may have never thought possible.
TOOL OF THE WEEK
in full transparency, the tool i’m recommending this week is actually a free app from a company i have recently partnered with (you may have seen a recent post/story about them on IG), but i want to stress how important it is for me to only partner with brands that i feel provide real value, which leads me to…
this is a free app that is packed full of valuable information, activities, articles, and group forums related to the topic of mental well-being. it’s one i’d be happy to recommend even if i weren’t a partner.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
what have you found helps you the most when dealing with anxiety about travelling?
this can be a product, an exercise, a routine, or whatever else you find helpful.
respond to this email and lmk!
and with that, go have a wonderful and safe weekend, and as always - i love you and i’m here for you if you need me .
Jesse