used	to	avoid,	and	think	in	the	ways	that	bring	peace	of	mind,	the	quicker	new
habits	will	form	and	then,	before	you	know	it,	they’ll	become	automatic.
Exercise:	Catch	Anxiety	Early
Catch	anxiety	early,	before	it’s	left	the	barn,	so	to	speak,	and	you’ll	stop	it	in
its	tracks	before	it	becomes	too	intense	to	pull	back.	A	way	to	start	catching
anxiety	
early
	
is	to	develop	a	quick	and	easy	habit	of	checking	in	with
yourself.	So	instead	of	rushing	from	task	to	task,	person	to	person—
intentionally	STOP.	Take	time	to	be	mindful	of	your	ongoing	experience.
Here’s	how:
•
	
At	the	end	of	the	day	when	you	arrive	home,	STOP	before	entering.	Reflect
for	a	few	moments;	check	in	with	yourself.
•
	
When	you	end	one	encounter,	STOP.	What’s	going	on	in	your	body,	your
mind?	What	sensations	do	you	notice?
•
	
When	you	finish	a	task,	STOP.	Reflect	on	what	tinges	or	shifts	might	be
happening	mentally	or	physically	for	you.	Literally	say	to	yourself,	“I	want
to	see	you.	What’s	going	on	in	there?”
Tune-Ups	and	Check-Ins
As	you	move	along	your	anxiety-recovery	path,	you	may	find	there	are