Traveling with anxiety has shaped my choices, leading me to seek environments that promote relaxation, whether through nature, creative expression, or quiet reflection.
Have you ever noticed how certain family gatherings seem to revolve around managing one person's moods or reactions? Maybe it's the sibling whose temper dictates whether dinner stays peaceful, or the relative everyone tiptoes around to avoid triggering an outburst. We've all witnessed these dynamics, but here's the uncomfortable question: what if that person is you? Growing up after my parents' divorce, I became fascinated with family dynamics and the roles we unconsciously adopt.
I am a worrier, and have been for most of my life. At some point, someone dear and smart teased me that I worry about the wrong things. The things that hit me, she noted, were never the things I worried about. For a while that left me feeling like an incompetent worrier-until my research caught up. I realized that the things I worry about often don't end up hurting me precisely because worrying helps me diffuse them ahead of time.
In the middle of December 2025, I decided to switch my digital smartwatch for a classic analog watch, as part of my effort to make my life just a bit less digital in 2026. The added bonus is that I really liked the look of a classic watch. I went to my local jewellery store and picked out a mid-range watch. I didn't want to get an expensive one just in case my resolution didn't work out.
Two journalists were arrested in connection with their coverage of a protest. Two residents were shot and killed while documenting the actions of ICE agents in Minneapolis. And the list goes on. I spoke to Siobhan Flowers , a licensed therapist and a former television reporter, to help journalists make sense of their emotions and feelings around what's happening in the industry. To start, Flowers said, don't gaslight yourself if you are feeling more depressed about work or the stories you're covering.
We've all been there: Someone asks if you're okay, and even though your world feels like it's crumbling, you manage a weak smile and say, "I'm just tired." It rolls off the tongue so easily, doesn't it? Like a reflex we've perfected over years of practice. I used to be the queen of this response. During my worst anxiety spirals in my twenties, when deadlines loomed and my chest felt tight,
