April 2024

In this country in particular, another message that often bombards us all from birth is the idea that our negative emotions are bad. Not only is this incredibly untrue, but when we believe this, it directly contributes to procrastination. If we aren’t supposed to feel distressed, worried, fearful, overwhelmed, guilty, shameful, irritated, and dread, just to name a few common ones related to procrastination, then it will be quite the challenge to begin working on a task where some or all these emotions burst up to the surface.

Another one of the most critical and common contributors to an anxiety condition is growing up in an environment that exposes one to it in a significant way. Significant can take the form of one or several events that affected you strongly and/or a continuous and consistent exposure to anxious conditions. For instance, perhaps you regularly witnessed mom or dad express specific fears and worries about a variety of topics. When you consider these ways in which you can develop anxiety conditions and struggles, one of the key takeaways is it is not your fault.