Anxiety is an emotional reaction that occurs when people are in a state of apprehension regarding unknown or unpleasant events. It can manifest in different ways and varies depending on the person.

Louise is experiencing an emotional reaction regarding her workload. In this particular moment, she is imagining worst case scenarios and this is causing her anxiety. She is feeling apprehensive about future events and isn’t present in the moment.

To refocus, Louise needs to engage in self-observation so she can recognize that she is in a state of apprehension.

If she can identify what she’s experiencing then she can refocus by telling herself, “Ok Louise, don’t freak out. Take it one step at a time. Enjoy the sunshine and use this time to do things that make you happy.”

She can then do something to make herself feel better and soothe her anxiety such as writing in her diary.