When emotions stay vague—“I feel off”—your mind fills in the blanks with worst-case stories. Naming what is happening can shrink the spiral.
Try a two-word check-in
Ask: what am I feeling, and what do I need? Keep both answers short. “Anxious—and I need a slower morning.” Precision beats perfection.
Feelings are information. They are not instructions to panic.
Practice once a day for a week. Notice how often the story softens once the feeling has a name.
