Have you ever noticed that when you feel anxious, you are not really in the present moment?
It can almost feel as though anxiety has teleported you into the future.
Suddenly, you're thinking about what might go wrong. You're worried about making a mistake, saying the wrong thing, disappointing someone, or not being good enough. Your mind starts imagining all the possible consequences of what could happen, and before you know it, you're spiralling down a catastrophic route.
But none of it has happened yet.
You are here, in the present moment, while your mind is somewhere far ahead, trying to prepare you for a future you cannot actually predict.
Explore why anxiety can pull you into worrying about the future, how overthinking can disconnect you from the present, and how therapy can help you understand your fears and reconnect with the here and now.
Why does anxiety take us into the future?
At the heart of anxiety, there is often a fear that something might go wrong.
You might be someone who cares deeply about doing things well. You care about your work, your relationships, your responsibilities and the people around you. You want to make the right decisions and avoid making mistakes.
And there is nothing wrong with caring.
The difficulty begins when your mind starts believing that you need to anticipate every possible problem in order to feel safe.
So you think.
And then you think some more.
What if this happens?
What if I get it wrong?
What if they think badly of me?
What if I can't cope?
Your brain keeps searching for an answer that will finally make you feel certain.
But can we ever really know what is going to happen in the future?
When worrying takes you away from the present
Worry can feel like you are doing something productive. You are thinking, analysing and preparing.
But constant worrying can take up an enormous amount of emotional and mental energy.
While your mind is busy trying to control tomorrow, you can lose the moment that is actually happening right now.
You might be sitting at your desk, but mentally you are already living through tomorrow's meeting.
You might be having dinner with someone you love, but your mind is replaying a conversation from earlier or imagining what might happen next.
You might finally have a quiet moment, but instead of feeling the quiet, your mind fills it with what ifs.
Anxiety can make it difficult to simply be where you are.
What is underneath the anxiety?
In therapy, we don't only look at the anxious thoughts themselves.
We can also explore what is underneath them.
What are you afraid might happen?
What would it mean if you made a mistake?
What are you trying so hard to prevent?
Where did you learn that you always need to be prepared, in control or one step ahead?
Sometimes anxiety is not really about the situation in front of you. It can be connected to deeper fears, past experiences, expectations you've placed on yourself, or old patterns that once helped you feel safe.
Understanding these patterns can help you relate to your anxiety differently.
Coming back to the present moment
Learning to become more aware of the present moment can also be part of therapy.
This doesn't mean telling yourself to "just stop worrying." When you're anxious, it isn't always that simple.
Instead, you can gently begin to notice what is happening right here, right now.
Feel the ground underneath your feet.
Notice your breath.
Feel your heartbeat.
Look around you.
Notice the light coming through the window, the sounds around you, the smell of your surroundings.
Perhaps you notice birds chirping outside.
Perhaps you notice something you've walked past hundreds of times but never really seen.
For a moment, there is nothing you need to solve.
You are simply here.
Anxiety doesn't have to hijack your present
The future will always contain some uncertainty. We cannot know exactly what is going to happen, and perhaps we don't need to.
The more we try to control every possible outcome, the more we can become disconnected from the life that is actually happening in front of us.
Therapy can offer a space to slow things down, understand the fears underneath your anxiety, and learn ways of responding rather than constantly reacting to what might happen.
You can care deeply about your life without having to spend every moment preparing for what could go wrong.
Sometimes, the most important thing is to come back to where you already are.
Here.
Right now.
Next steps
If you recognise yourself in this and feel that anxiety, overthinking or constant worrying is taking up too much space in your life, therapy can offer you a place to slow things down and understand what is happening underneath.
You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Sometimes the first step is simply having a conversation and seeing what feels right for you.
If you'd like to explore whether therapy could support you, you can book a free 15-minute consultation or get in touch with me directly.