go-to way is what I use for myself when I start to feel anxious. Since anxiety is a physical response to real or perceived immediate danger, and I know there’s no danger, I skip the thinking part of my brain, the supratentorian cortex, and go right for the old mammalian brain, specifically the limbic system. In other words I quickly relax the body: long slow exhales low in the belly, dropping shoulders, shutting mouth with a faint smile, opening palms, and everything else associated with comfort and ease. It’s a routine I had to learn, but once you’ve practiced it, it takes just a few seconds to start. That’s much more helplful than hanging out in the thinking part of my brain and trying to talk myself out of something. The self-talk starts once the body is in a more receptive mode. Disclaimer: DISCLAIMER FOR ALL MY QUORA ANSWERS . Robert Booker Peer Support Specialist does not provide any psychological or other health-related services or advice to individuals on Quora, and even w...