Your Anxiety Is No Different Than an Imaginary Friend
We all have that little voice in our heads—the one that chimes in right before a presentation, at social events, or even during the simplest daily tasks. It tells us we’re going to mess up, that everyone’s judging us, or that something bad is going to happen. It’s easy to get caught up in those anxious thoughts, but here’s the thing: that voice isn’t some all-knowing truth. It’s no different than an imaginary friend you’ve created in your head.
Think of your anxiety like an imaginary friend you’ve unknowingly crafted over time. It’s just a voice—something your mind has conjured up, not an absolute reality. Just like a kid might invent a playmate to keep them company, your mind has created this anxious voice as a way to cope with uncertainty, stress, or fear. But unlike a comforting imaginary friend, this one can be a bit of a bully, always pointing out what could go wrong.
An effective way to deal with this anxious voice is to personify it. Give it a face, a name, and an identity. Imagine it sitting next to you in the room, with its own quirky look—maybe it’s a nervous little creature or a cartoonish figure that’s hard to take seriously. The idea is to separate it from yourself. It’s not you; it’s just a character in your mental play. When you visualize it like this, it becomes easier to manage.
Once you’ve given your anxiety a persona, you can start to control it. Instead of letting it sit at the head of the table, put it in the corner or on a waiting bench. It’s like telling that imaginary friend, “You don’t get to run the show today.” You’re not ignoring your anxiety or pretending it doesn’t exist—you’re just not giving it center stage. You’re acknowledging it’s there but choosing not to let it call the shots.
When that voice pipes up before a presentation or social event, remind yourself that it’s just your imaginary friend having a moment. It doesn’t have to be in charge, and it certainly doesn’t deserve the mic. You wouldn’t let a random person off the street tell you how to live your life, so why let this made-up character dictate your actions? Recognize it, acknowledge it, and then move on without giving it more attention than it deserves.
By personifying your anxiety and visualizing it as a separate entity, you’re reclaiming your mental space. You’re making room for your own thoughts, your own voice, and your own decisions. The more you practice this, the more you’ll start to see that your anxiety is just one of many voices in the room—it doesn’t have to be the loudest, and it certainly doesn’t have to be in charge.
So, the next time that anxious voice pops up, remember: it’s no different than an imaginary friend. It’s not you, it’s not the truth, and it definitely doesn’t get to run your life. Put it in its place, and take back the mic.