About this quote

We spend half our lives fighting ghosts in our own minds. We map out worst-case scenarios and suffer through them before they even have a chance to occur. Next time your chest tightens over a future disaster, ask yourself if you are reacting to reality or your own imagination. Most of your panic is useless rehearsal for a play that will never open. Save your energy for the actual problems that show up on your doorstep.

When to use it

• You spot a tiny red bump on your arm and spend three hours online researching rare diseases, convinced you have weeks to live. The doctor looks at it for two seconds and says it is just a bug bite.
• You lie awake all Sunday night sweating over a minor mistake in your weekly report, convinced your boss will fire you on Monday. Instead, she does not even notice the error and praises your hard work.
• Your partner sends a text that says 'we need to talk' and you spend the drive home mentally dividing your assets and planning where you will live. They just wanted to ask what you want for dinner.