You know the drill.

A weird pain in your side. A headache. A follow-up scan coming up. An unexpected bill in the mail. An email from your long-term disability company — and you can’t tell what it’s about until you log into the portal. Or, heaven forbid, a lump or bump somewhere.

Suddenly your brain is off to the races, sprinting through worst-case scenarios like it’s training for the mental Olympics.

Before you know it, you’ve spiraled down a rabbit hole of anxiety, fear, and “what ifs.” It’s exhausting. And it feels like you’re being dragged by a force you can’t stop.

But here’s the truth: You are not a rabbit. Don’t go down the rabbit holes! You don’t have to follow your thoughts wherever they go.

You’ve been through cancer. That experience reshaped how your brain processes fear — especially around uncertainty. It makes sense that your mind jumps to conclusions. Your nervous system is just trying to protect you, and it’s been on red alert for a while now. But just because your brain tosses a fear your way doesn’t mean you have to catch it and run.

And - speaking of rabbit holes, I’m going to go off on a tangent here and mention another way your brain might dive into a rabbit hole.

Facing the big, scary unknown — the lump, the scan, the possibility — feels too terrifying. So we distract ourselves with a “smaller” problem in order to avoid dealing with the bigger fear.  It feels like action, but it’s just another kind of rabbit hole.

So what can you do when you feel yourself diving down into the rabbit hole?

You can pause. You can question the thought. You can choose not to follow it into the darkness of the rabbit hole.

This is a skill. It takes practice. But it’s a skill worth building, because it’s how you take your power back.

So the next time your mind tries to lure you down that familiar hole, stop. Breathe. Ask: Is this helpful? Is this true? Is this where I want to go?

You are not your fear. You are not your thoughts. And you sure as hell are not a rabbit.

You are a strong, brilliant woman who’s been through hell — and now gets to decide how she wants to live. Let that be your truth.

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear what rabbit holes you’ve been working to climb out of — or what helps you stay grounded when your brain goes on a bender. 

And if you’re ready to simply let go of the fear that causes you to jump down those rabbit holes in the first place, talk to me.

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