Think about this for a moment.
How many times has anxiety actually gone away just because you fixed a problem?
Or because you overthought it enough?
Probably not as many as you hoped.
Because right after one problem was solved,
Another one showed up.
And then another.
And sometimes there wasn't even a real problem.
Just the feeling that there must be something you should be dealing with,
And you're not.
If that sounds familiar,
Don't worry.
You're not broken.
And you're not doing anxiety wrong.
Welcome.
My name is Vassia Sarantopoulou.
I'm a psychologist and I work with people who struggle with anxiety,
And specifically perfectionism anxiety,
And burnout,
Especially those who feel responsible for everything and everyone,
And rarely feel allowed to rest.
In this practice today,
We're not going to try to eliminate anxiety.
We're going to explore something deeper,
Self-trust.
That inner safety that says,
Whatever happens,
I can handle it.
But before we go any further,
Let's slow this moment down together.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
And a long,
Slow breath out through your mouth.
Again,
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
Allow your body to arrive.
Notice where you're holding tension.
Notice where you're being supported.
There's nothing you need to fix right now.
Just be here.
Let's understand a little bit about anxiety first.
Anxiety often tells us a compelling story.
It says,
If I just think enough,
If I find the right solution,
If I prepare for every possible scenario,
Then I will be okay.
So what do you do?
You scan.
You problem solve.
You mentally open case after case after case.
And for a moment,
It feels useful.
But here's the tricky part.
The moment you solve one problem,
Anxiety immediately points you to the next one,
And then the next,
And sometimes to no problem at all.
Just this lingering sense of something must be wrong.
At its core,
This mechanism isn't wrong.
It's protective.
On some level,
Anxiety believes that the more vigilant you are,
The more prepared you will be for the future.
That if you anticipate the worst,
Maybe you will not feel as hurt,
Shocked,
Disappointed or angry when life happens.
But this is not how life actually works.
You know the phrase,
When life throws you lemons,
Then you make lemonade?
Well,
Actually life doesn't just throw lemons.
Life throws all kinds of fruits,
Some we've never seen before.
And while we're busy perfecting our lemonade plum,
Life shows up with something completely unexpected.
And even when you have been anxious and vigilant and really careful,
Surprise,
Surprise,
You still get hurt.
You still get disappointed.
You still get angry.
Still somebody leaves.
Still somebody else gets a promotion,
Even though you overworked.
See,
The big feelings happen anyway.
So if anxiety's message is,
You will only feel calm if you find every possible problem and fix it,
Then what's the opposite of that?
The opposite is self-trust.
Self-trust is the deep knowing that whatever happens,
You will be able to meet it.
Self-trust means that you don't need to find everything that needs to be fixed in order to feel calm.
And this,
Of course,
Doesn't mean you stop planning.
It doesn't mean you become careless or passive.
It means you learn where good enough lives,
That point where you say,
I've prepared enough and now it's time to rest,
To enjoy,
To connect,
To live.
Self-trust says you already have what it takes.
You already have what it takes to feel calm.
You already have what it takes to let go.
You already have what it takes in order to be prepared for any future scenario.
And this is where today's practice comes in.
If it feels right,
Pause this track and take a piece of paper.
Divide it into three columns and in the first one,
Write down your personality traits.
The one that have helped you through hard times before.
And here are some examples.
You have been caring,
Persistent,
Loyal,
Patient,
Creative,
Organized,
Or even stubborn in the good way.
In the second column,
Write down your resources.
For example,
Your friends,
Your support system,
Your experience,
Your network,
Your finances,
Your community,
You name it.
And in the third column,
You write your skills.
Your communication skills,
Your problem-solving skills,
Your analyzing skills,
Your emotional awareness,
Your ability to learn,
To ask for help,
To adapt.
Let this list be real,
Not impressive,
Real.
And notice something really important.
Self-trust is more than this list.
It's the message you actually send to your nervous system,
To your brain,
To your whole body.
And the message is,
I am safe.
I can rest now.
I am not in survival anymore.
And it's true,
You've learned so much through everything you've lived.
You're not who you were years ago.
You're wiser,
More resilient,
More capable than you realize.
You don't need to stay awake anymore,
Just in case something else appears.
And if something does appear,
You'll meet it then,
One step at a time,
With patience,
With compassion,
With presence.
Uncertainty doesn't scare you anymore,
Not because you control it,
But because you know how to be with it.
Uncertainty isn't optional.
You know that.
It's part of being human.
And you're learning how to embrace it.
So let's end with a few moments of stillness and gentle affirmations.
Breathe in and out.
And silently,
Or out loud,
Repeat after me.
I trust myself.
I trust my ability to handle what comes.
I have survived hard things before.
I don't need to solve everything right now.
It's safe for me to rest.
It's safe for me to enjoy.
If something arises,
I will meet it when it comes.
For now,
I'm allowed to be here.
Take one last deep breath,
And when you're ready,
Gently return to your day.
And carry this message with you.
The opposite of anxiety isn't certainty.
It's self-trust.
Thank you for being here.
Take good care of yourself.
