09/09/2024
This is Delores. She’s my anxiety monster 👿
She’s the voice inside my head that tries to protect me. The voice that tries to prepare me. The voice that sends me into a spiral of overthinking and worry.
She seems innocent enough, like an eccentric aunt—until she barrages me with “helpful” comments, like “You really could have said that better,” “You can never afford the vacation you’re planning unless you get a few more clients,” or “What if there really is a monster under your bed?”
Well, the monster under my bed is Delores—and she can be hard to tame. That’s why I’ve created a persona for her and made her my friend.
Thinking of our anxiety monsters in the third person is a proven way to gain greater control of our thoughts, feelings, and behavior under stress. This technique helps trick the brain into viewing our problems as if they were someone else’s—which are always less anxiety-inducing than our own.
Now that I’ve created her likeness, it’s much easier to reply, “Oh Delores, you shouldn’t worry so much.” I can choose how to engage with her, and I can weigh her comments through a different lens.
On this , try this technique for yourself. It’s a fun and useful way to calm that voice.
