 Welcome to the Anxious Morning, where each weekday morning we take a look at ideas, concepts, and lessons designed to help you understand and overcome your anxiety. For more information, visit us at theanxiousmorning.com. If you are reading this, the odds are pretty high that you are anxious or uncomfortable or afraid. But that's not all you are. You are more than just anxiety, no matter how bad you feel right now. Anxiety is a thing you experience. You've talked about this in earlier editions of the Anxious Morning. But anxiety is not a thing you have, nor is it what you are. You are more than this. You always have been and always will be more than this. Sometimes we just lose sight of that. One of the more important principles in recovery is that more than one thing can be true at the same time. This means that you can be anxious and uncomfortable, but that you can also be a painter, a parent, a musician, a teacher, a chef, a gardener, a partner or spouse, a friend, a sibling, a builder, or an almost infinite number of other things at the same time. These are the roles you play in your life. They are reflective of who you are, what you stand for, and what is important to you. They matter. They are substantive. Anxiety on the other hand has nothing to do with who you are or what is important to you, other than trying to attack that and cast doubt upon it. Anxiety is just a state, and it does not define your entirety as a valuable human being. Today on Instagram I posted a reel that asked the community to post pictures, videos, or words that show the world who we are beyond anxiety. I asked everyone to use the hashtag I am more. It's been only about an hour, and the response has been quite amazing. Many people step outside of anxiety for a few minutes to remind themselves and the rest of us who they really are has been emotional and even inspiring for me. So when you are done reading this, take a minute and consider that you are more than anxiety. Take a quiet moment and remind yourself of what else you are and have always been. It matters. It's okay to be anxious today, but also be more because you can. If you're enjoying The Anxious Morning and you'd like to get a copy of the podcast delivered into your email inbox every morning, visit theanxiousmorning.email and subscribe to the newsletter. If you're listening on Apple or iTunes, take a second and leave a five star rating, maybe write a small review. It really helps me out. And finally, if you find my work useful and you'd like to help keep it free of advertising and sponsorships, you can see all the ways to support the work at theanxioustruth.com slash support. Thanks so much.