Stop winding yourself up

I sat down to eat breakfast when I suddenly realized I’d missed a dear friend’s birthday. In an instant, my cheeks flushed, my breath grew shallow, and my mind immediately started crafting stories about how disappointed my friend must have been not to hear from me. What began as a good day quickly turned stressful until I saw what was happening through the lens of the nervous system.

I put down my fork, placed my hand on my chest, and said, “Sweetheart, it’s ok. An old program just kicked in and...