Many Americans worry about how tariffs raise the cost of living. Underneath this worry, people fear they might not be able to keep up. This brings a nagging sense of doubt and the feeling that they are falling behind.
Most workers are not getting pay raises that match higher taxes. People on fixed incomes feel the stress even more. They wonder if they will have enough to cover basic needs.
Fear of terrorism is also real. In 2020, I had to cancel plans to lead a group to the Holy Land. That was just one of many trips stopped by concerns about attacks, even right here in the United States.
Anxiety is not the true enemy. Tariffs, taxes, and the fear of terror are causing stress. Think of anxiety like a smoke alarm. The alarm is not the problem; it points to trouble. The alarm makes you notice the fire so you can act. In the same way, anxiety signals that something needs your attention.
Anxiety can be helpful when it warns you to get ready for real danger. But if you get stuck in anxious thoughts about things you cannot change, anxiety does not help. You cannot call 9-1-1 to fix your feelings.
Try to meet anxious thoughts with clear facts. If you worry about tariffs and taxes, see if there is something you can do. You might write to your representatives or save more money. If not, know that worry will not solve the problem.
The Serenity Prayer is a comfort to many people in hard times:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a path to peace; taking, as He did, this world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.
Simple habits like prayer can help bring calm and peace of mind.
For more guidance on handling anxiety, you can find tools in Anxiety Quest, available in paperback, Kindle, audio, and workbook formats: https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Quest-Adventures-Turning-Confidence/dp/B0C35766PV/
