A Smart Girl's Guide: Worry. Nancy Holyoke

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      Life is changing.

      Friendships can be complicated. There’s more drama, more gossip,

      more tension in the lunchroom. At the same time, your body is

      changing. The “you” you are today may not feel at all like the one

      you were last year. Lots of girls worry about what comes next.

      Will my breasts start growing soon? What if my period starts

      in the middle of dance class? Your body will do exactly what it’s

      supposed to, but it will have its own unpredictable timetable.

      Your world is getting bigger.

      You are building your independence. More and more, you’re

      venturing out of the cozy cocoon your parents watched over

      when you were little. You’re deciding more things for yourself.

      It’s exciting, but a bit scary. You’re not always certain what to do.

      Things feel less safe.

      Weather disasters, wars in distant countries, unsafe schools.

      Bad news can be worrisome even for adults. For kids who

      are just beginning to pay attention, it may be plain scary.

      What kind of world are you stepping into anyway?

      There are always problems.

      Of course, there are plenty of things closer to home that a

      girl might have good reason to worry about, too. One girl may

      have a loved one who’s sick. Another may be anxious about

      arguments in the family. Money problems. Marriage problems.

      It’s a lucky girl who doesn’t have at least some family concerns

      on her list. And as if that weren’t enough . . .

      Worry can be contagious.

      If adults or others around her tend to worry about things,

      a girl can pick up the worry habit. A girl whose aunt shrinks

      from meeting new people, or whose dad is too frightened to

      fly on airplanes, might learn to be anxious—not only about

      those specific things but about other things, too.

      Add it up.

      A day has only 24 hours, but for a lot of

      girls that means a bajillion opportunities

      to worry about something.

when you worry

      Anxiety is normal. It’s your brain and body’s built-in alarm system,

      and it has only one job: to protect you. Back when humans wore

      animal hides and lived in caves, this alarm system helped your

      ancestors escape from hungry animals.

      When something sets off the alarm, anxiety gets you ready to . . .

      fight

      back

      or

      freeze so

      you won’t

      be noticed

      or

      run

      away.

      To do this, anxiety affects you in three ways: your thoughts, your

      feelings, and your actions.

      1. Anxiety focuses

       your thoughts on

      the danger. I’ve got to get

      away! Suddenly, you can’t

      think of anything else. Not.

       One. Single. Other. Thing.

      2. СКАЧАТЬ