Is your anxiety all-consuming at times? Do troubled thoughts squat in the middle of your mind and refuse to let positive, calming thoughts through? One thing is for certain. Those dark, negative ruminations do not like to be challenged, analyzed, or even questioned.

Do you consider yourself emotionally mature? You know, it’s been said: Old age is always 15 years older than I am. Then again, it’s also been said: Age is not how old you are but how many years of fun you’ve had.

You hear the fire alarm going off, but there is no fire. How much time do you spend worrying? Does it sometimes take you over to the point that you simply can’t calm down? It’s okay. Allow yourself to feel your emotions. Don’t bury the hurt. Permit yourself to be anxious. Simply expressing your feelings may help decrease them. Now allow them to pass. Sure, your thoughts have now conjured up the worst-case scenarios. Can you challenge your thoughts into a more hopeful way of thinking? Do you even try?

What have you settled for in your life? If you sign away your inner freedom by settling, you have paid an enormously high price. When a painful internal matter comes into view, do you deal with and handle it?

Name something that makes you feel good: cheesecake, working out at the gym, watching the playoffs with your crew, shopping for new shoes, or completing that challenging project at work. I know, there’s nothing better than cake – other than more cake. And speaking of the gym, you know what they say: When nothing goes right, go lift. Truthfully, I don’t mind leg day at the gym. It’s just the two days after that I can’t stand.