All of us experience some anxiety every so often. Maybe we're prepping for a big presentation, awaiting test results, or about to bungee jump for the first time. While a little anxiety is normal, it can quickly spiral out of control unless we're careful. Thinking incessantly about what may happen or go wrong -- otherwise known as overthinking -- can lead one to create problems in their mind that don't exist. We almost convince ourselves that we're going to bomb the presentation, that the test results won't be favorable, or that we'll seriously injure ourselves upon jumping. In essence, we allow fear and pessimism to paralyze us with their ironclad grip. But here's the thing: Anxiety doesn't come from merely thinking about the future. It's caused by trying to control the future. We really have no idea what the future holds, so it makes little sense to fabricate images in our heads of what it will look like. Who's to say things won...

I stumbled upon this quote on Facebook and felt it resonated with me, as I'm someone who suffers from anxiety and has worrywart tendencies. What I've realized, though, is that incesssant worrying does nothing to ease the nerves; if anything, it frays them. Instead, we should aim to be warriors, people who confront life's challenges head-on. Warriors get excited over what could go right rather than concerned about what can go wrong. They're bold, optimistic, and determined to see their dreams come to fruition. They see setbacks as temporary. Criticism and negativity from others (and themselves) fuels them to work ever harder toward achieving their goals. I realize it isn't feasible to be a warrior 100 percent of the time. It's only natural that we worry sometimes, especially in the face of intense pressure. But we must never let doubt paralyze us. The more we worry, the less likely we'll make progress. We won't reach our destination unle...