Anxiety will render you partially deaf to what others are saying to you and you will tend to hear what you want to hear. It will make you partially blind to what is going on around you and will see what you want to see.Anxiety will make you hyper-sensitive to what others are doing and not doing and you will become less and less aware of your own behavior.

You will reduce your levels of anxiety if you….

“De-triangle” yourself. This means getting out of the middle of relationships that do not directly involve you. For instance, stop trying to get your son to like his stepfather, or your mother to like your wife, or your boss to spend more time with his children. You are powerless over relationships that involve others and not you. 

Re-connect appropriately with people to whom you are related, especially when it is by blood. It is virtually impossible to be enduringly emotionally well if you have severed blood relationships. We are designed for connection and healthy family connections can nurture like none other. 

Step out of the role of being a peacekeeper  – being the one who avoids and helps others to avoid necessary and helpful conflict. Be a peacemaker, the one who steps into the role of one who welcomes and facilitates necessary and helpful conflict.