Have you ever felt overwhelmed or helpless in the face of anxiety? Like the more you try to manage it, the more out of control it becomes? Maybe it’s in social situations where you’re surrounded by new people, or work situations where it’s so easy to start spinning about everything from how you’ll be perceived to what happens if you stumble. Or, maybe it’s just about the state of your life, relationships, family, community, or even the world. If that’s you, you’re not alone.
But, what if anxiety was actually just a particular type of energy that could be transformed into something akin to a superpower? This is the bold idea offered by my guest today, Professor Wendy Suzuki. Wendy is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at New York University, and researcher who focuses on the relationship between the brain and behavior, with a particular emphasis on the role of stress and anxiety. Wendy’s work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and her latest book, Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion, explores how to use anxiety as a superpower. Wendy is passionate about helping people understand the phenomenon of anxiety and how to reframe it in order to lead a more fulfilling life.
Today, we’re diving into how, according to Wendy, anxiety can be essential and beneficial, and with the right approach, it can be turned into a powerful ally and asset. Wendy helps us understand the science behind anxiety, how it is triggered, and how to use it to our advantage. By exploring the relationship between the physiological state of fight or flight and the emotion of anxiety, she offers a new perspective on how to reframe and manage anxiety. Despite the pandemic and other uncertainties of life, Wendy offers science-based strategies to help us turn the volume down on our anxiety responses.
You can find Dr. Wendy at: Website | Instagram
If you LOVED this episode:
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