As a person who has spent her life battling panic and anxiety, I’ve developed some tricks for getting through everyday life.

I’ve always felt silly about the tricks I’ve invented and relied upon, so I’ve kept them secret.

But in recent years, people started asking me how I get onstage and speak in public—something I did for 15 years, despite suffering from horrific stage fright. So, I started giving people tips.

The more tips I provided, the more I realized I had in my possession.

You see, getting through a day when you have a panic and anxiety disorder can be incredibly trying, and one surefire way to get done what needs doing when you’re a basket case, is to- well, pretend.

Yes, I pretend.

A lot.

To get through a variety of tricky situations, I play parts, perform, and scheme. And no one ever knows, and nobody gets hurt.

The word “hack” has always rubbed me the wrong way. You can’t hack life. You can’t really hack anything. What you CAN do is make hard things feel easier, and you do that by rotating your point of view, or the problem itself.

You make or create, a mindset shift, or a pivot.

Original art by Edwina White

Today I will let you in on some of my top-secret pivots and creative ways I get through things that bring me anxiety. I hope that they’ll jumpstart your own personal pivots. Here are some of my best pivots, with the ultimate one at the bottom.

I hope you’ll find they work for you, too, or inspire effective pivots of your own.

Pivots/Mindset Shifts

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