downshifting	or	easing	your	foot	off	the	gas.	Because	old	patterns	of	neuronal
activity	fire	quickly	and	before	we	have	time	to	consciously	think,	changing
automatic	habits	can	feel	hard.
It	takes	about	90	days	to	build	a	new	habit.	This	is	roughly	enough	time	to
rewire	a	bit	of	your	brain.	It	does	take	discipline	and	effort	at	the	beginning,
but	with	practice,	the	new	coping	strategies	become	a	natural	part	of	your
functioning	and	routine.	Eventually	you	won’t	even	have	to	think	about	what
to	do	to	reduce	your	anxiety.	You	will	automatically	have	a	more	peaceful
way	of	being	with	yourself	and	coping	with	the	world.	This	is	the	payout!	To
cultivate	the	ease	and	calm	you	want,	stick	with	the	strategies	and	put	in
steady,	consistent	effort.
Planning
Take	a	wide-angle	look	at	how	your	life	is	organized	so	you	can	begin	to