So what should you tell yourself?

She suggests asking yourself questions along the lines of “Is not getting the job I want life-threatening?”

(for job, you might substitute invitation, second date, requisite number ofTikTok followers, etc.)

Woman cleaning

as well as the more general “What is the worst that can happen?”

and “If the worst happens, will I survive it?”

(Bronstein goes Jagger one better, insisting life “ALWAYS gives us what we need.”

Happy couple

Perfectionist post-it note

Woman meditating