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How to Stop Treating Every Minor Problem Like the Apocalypse

Catastrophizing can feel like your brain is trying to ruin your life. Here’s how to stop doing it once and for all.

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve lived most of my life in survival mode. Growing up with OCD, I’ve naturally catastrophized pretty much every situation I’ve been in, dwelling mostly on potential negative outcomes. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I finally started focusing more on positive possibilities and results. 

Of course, this hasn’t been easy, and it’s still an everyday challenge. But shifting from a permanent crisis mode into a more peaceful energy has been a godsend. 

If you’re anything like me and are operating from a place of fear and insecurity (I think many of us are doing this in today’s world), here are four tips to stop catastrophizing and get out of survival mode.

1. Meet Yourself With Compassion

It’s often instinctual for some of us to get angry at our catastrophizing tendencies. At least in my case, I spent years rejecting and despising this side of........

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