A Simple Writing Practice to Ease Anxiety and Stress

We all experience moments of intense stress and worry—times when a particular thought keeps circling in our minds, leaving us feeling anxious and uncertain. Instead of trying to suppress these worries or judge yourself for having them, here’s a simple yet powerful exercise to help you regain clarity and control.

When you find yourself overwhelmed, grab a pen and paper and write down your worries. List the top five things that are currently stressing you out, whether they’re small concerns like running errands or major fears about work, health, or relationships. Then, identify the top three worries that are taking up the most space in your mind.

For each of these worries, take a moment to explore them deeper. Ask yourself, If this happens, then what? Keep following this question until you reach the worst-case scenario your mind is imagining. Often, this process reveals how quickly we spiral into catastrophic thinking.

Once you’ve outlined your fears, take a step back and assign probabilities to each scenario. How likely is it that each event will actually happen? Most of the time, we realize that many of our imagined fears are far less probable than they feel in the moment.

When we’re anxious, our emotional brain takes over, shutting down our logical, problem-solving abilities. By engaging in this writing exercise, we re-activate rational thinking, allowing us to see our worries from a more balanced perspective.

The next time stress takes over, take five minutes to go through this process. Write, question, analyze, and see how your perspective shifts. You might be surprised at how much more in control you feel.