Embrace the New: Strategies for Beginning Fresh and Overcoming Anxiety

To start something new is always unpleasant. Anxiety pervades. Negative thoughts overwhelm. “But I’m no New York Times columnist! What business do I have blogging?” But then you go forward anyways… because you embrace challenge. You want a change. Or maybe because you would hate yourself if you didn’t. So here I am, in all my vulnerability, starting something new. There’s no hiding my less-than-prolific writing abilities. There’s no hiding the amateur in the blogging aesthetics. Deciding to start therapy is like that. Maybe the threat of uncovering what lurks beneath consciousness is terrifying. Maybe it’s the fact that starting therapy means that you have to admit that you’re not strong enough alone. Whatever kind of scary you have to overcome before stepping foot into your counsellor’s office, at some point, you’ll be able to say “I’m here, forging a new beginning amidst the chaos.” I often tell my clients to congratulate themselves for making it my office. Starting truly is the hardest step. I’m going to lend a little bit of that compassion to myself too. I’ve started. Everything is far from perfect. But with some time and effort, something elegant may emerge.