Dear Danielle:

As you get used to the idea of getting an apartment together, you will probably feel better. Changes cause anxiety to spike. You have been anxious for a long time and didn’t lose your mind. It only feels like you are going crazy, but you are not. It takes repeatedly calming yourself best you can. Again and again. I wish it wasn’t this difficult for you. I wish life wasn’t as difficult for me as it has been. But it is what it is.

You can survive this, I know it because you already survived a whole lot. Again, it only feels as bad as it does. In reality you are in a loving relationship and over time, if you continue therapy, if it is quality therapy, it will get better.

There are calming guided meditations that may help you- even if you don’t get totally into it, just listening to a calming voice.. or listening to calming music, real calming can help. You can’t eliminate your anxiety today, but you can make it better at this moment and the next moment and that is all you can do today. Try a guided meditation/ calming music, if you will, and let me know how it works.

You can also write a note to yourself when you are calm, a note to read when you are anxious the next time, a sort of letter from the Calm Danielle to the Anxious Danielle.

* will soon be away from the computer.

anita