Excerpts: “Instead, you are knowing a simple but profound fact: In this moment I am all right. You are sensing the truth in your body, deeper than fear, that it is breathing and living and okay. You are recognizing that your mind is functioning fine no matter how nutty and not-fine the contents swirling through it are” (p. 9).

“Changing the way you think isn’t easy, but if you devote some attention to noticing your interpretations and are dedicated to looking at situations differently, you can do it” (p. 33).

“And we all tend to assume that If it’s my thought, there must be something to it. We tend not to notice that we can think all kinds of nonsense, that thoughts are often only anxiety symptoms, nothing more” (p. 40).

“Knowing that our assumptions are fallible is an important recognition, because when we’re mistaken and our thoughts don’t match up to reality, cognitive fusion can lead to a great deal of unnecessary anxiety” (p. 88).

“Tell yourself that you are strong. That you can endure, persist, cope, and prevail. That you are strong enough to hold your experience in awareness without being overwhelmed. That the winds of life can blow, and blow hard, but you are a deeply rooted tree, and winds just make you even stronger” (p. 92).

Hanson, McKay, Davis, Eshelman, et al (2020). The Anxiety First Aid Kit: Quick Tools for Extreme, Uncertain Times. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.