I’m not here to say I’m an expert in anxiety. I don’t have any psychology degrees or fancy credentials. What I do have though, is over thirty years of direct experience, facing anxiety’s crippling grip head-on. And when you’ve been on the frontlines that long, you learn a thing or two about your enemy.

So what makes my perspective on the topic that affects hundreds of millions of people world wide valuable? Not long ago, I would have deferred to the ‘experts’ if asked about anxiety. However, a grueling recovery from a vasectomy has permanently altered my perspective. I’ve realized there are no infallible experts, no self-help guide that can exorcise the hauntings of anxiety. Improvement in our coping with anxiety lies not in passive reading but in active practice, crafting our unique toolbox from personal, first-hand experience. While psychologists and academics offer valuable insights, the responsibility to confront and manage anxiety is ultimately our own. As a mentor of mine once said, “You have to eat the cake to taste it.”