Home The Ultimate RelationshipHumanity Upgrade Changing Expectations to Manage Anxiety

Changing Expectations to Manage Anxiety

Old Expectations Trigger Your Cortisol, But You Can Adjust Them

written by Loretta Graziano Breuning, PhD April 29, 2019
Changing Expectations to Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is caused by our own expectations more than we realize. For example, a pothole in the road causes huge anxiety if you drive right into it, but if you see it in advance, it’s manageable. So anxiety is caused by the expectation of a flat road when that fails to fit the facts.

Of course, expecting potholes all the time would not relieve anxiety either. Realistic expectations are the key to a smooth ride. But how can our expectations be realistic when the world is unpredictable?

We can adjust old expectations for new information.

We resist doing this, however, for a good reason. Our brain evolved to hold on to old experience. It’s meant to protect us from having to touch fire more than once, or eat poison berries on a day when you’re hungry. But when old expectations cause anxiety, it’s good to know that you have some power to adjust them. To find that power, let’s take a closer look under the hood.

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