Narrative-first, evidence-driven

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When fear shows up, the goal isn’t to shut it down. The goal is to carry it without letting it drive.

The 5-step loop

1. Name it (no shame)

• “Yeah, that’s scary.”
• “That sounds heavy.”

2. Downshift (if needed)

• one slow breath
• a quick walk
• water + snack
• “0–10 check”

3. Separate the signal

• Threat: what’s actually happening right now?
• Uncertainty: what we don’t know yet
• Rumor/gasoline: what’s optimized to spread

4. Pick one controllable action Small is fine. A 1% move breaks helplessness.

5. Reconnect to values

• “How do we want to act while this is happening?”
• “What kind of person do you want to be?”

What this builds over time

• a steadier baseline
• better judgment under pressure
• repeated competence (you can do something, even when it’s hard)

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