The Psychology of your 20s 77. Why do we worry about the future?
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Mar 16, 2023 The podcast dives into the psychological roots of worrying about the future, addressing anticipatory anxiety and the illusion of control. It explores how societal pressures amplify these feelings and emphasizes personal agency. Listeners are introduced to practical coping techniques, such as scheduled worry time, to shift anxiety into excitement. Insights from Buddhism and Stoicism encourage embracing uncertainty, while the importance of community engagement adds a personal touch to the discussion. It’s all about finding peace in the face of fear!
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Anxiety in Your Twenties
- Anxiety about the future is a natural response to the many unknowns of life, especially in one's twenties.
- This generation also carries the burden of existential threats like climate change and economic instability.
Stress and Anticipatory Anxiety
- Stress is a natural response to uncertainty, and the future is full of unknowns.
- Anticipatory anxiety is the fear or dread experienced before an event, stemming from a focus on negative potential outcomes.
Illusion of Control
- We try to predict the future to feel in control, which stems from our self-preservation instincts.
- Ruminating creates a false sense of control and eases anxiety, even though we cannot truly anticipate the future.