have heart, my dear.

The difference seems really small, but for me, there was a big difference between being aware of my anxiety and why it was there (important, but less helpful in feeling better). And actually addressing it as if it was a person and letting it know that I heard it and was handling it. Treating my anxiety as a small, nervous me made me empathize with it more, and in turn, help it calm down because it felt listened to. My anxiety wasn’t flaring up for no reason- it cared about things important to me and wanted to make sure I didn’t drop the ball. Assuring it that I was carrying the ball allowed it to ease up. ☺️

FRIENDS | 3.03

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MARILYN MONROE as Rose Loomis in Niagara (1953) costume design by Dorothy Jeakins