“Life Is Short” Is Sub-optimal Advice For Anxiety
Anxiety is often fueled by a sense of urgency. The mind fixates on worst-case scenarios, missed opportunities, and the ever-present fear of not doing enough. When someone struggling with this internal pressure is told, “Life is short,” the intended encouragement can have the opposite effect. Instead of inspiration, it intensifies an already heightened state of nervous energy. The expectation to maximize every moment becomes another stressor, another metric by which to judge one’s perceived inadequacy.

The underlying problem is not a lack of awareness about life’s brevity. People with anxiety are acutely aware of time passing. They already feel the weight of deadlines, expectations, and decisions. The idea that they should be doing more only amplifies the internal dialogue that insists they are not keeping up. Instead of providing clarity, this phrase fosters guilt. If every moment is supposed to be meaningful, how does one justify rest? How does one accept the quieter, less remarkable days?
Anxiety thrives in the space between expectation and reality. The expectation that life must be filled with extraordinary experiences creates an unrealistic pressure to perform rather than exist. Someone who already feels overstimulated does not need more urgency. They need permission to engage with life at a sustainable pace. Instead of urging them to seize the day, a more constructive approach would be to normalize moments of stillness.
A better perspective on time is not that it is short but that it is ongoing. Each moment is part of a larger rhythm rather than a fleeting opportunity that must be maximized. This shift in thinking allows for a deeper appreciation of presence without the accompanying anxiety of wasted potential. Rather than chasing significance, the focus can shift to experiencing what is already available.
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