Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

The deceptive thing about anxiety is that it leads you to believe you can do something to change an outcome. Even if that was true, the fear behind anxiety leads to despair and mistakes and ultimately tragedy. Having reasonable concern and making the best decision you can is good but anxiety is a force that pulls you so that your concern is beyond reason and your decisions less than ideal.

>I feel like we are destroying our planet, destroying our economy, we make poor people poorer, stir political extremes, we alienate the younger generation with social medias, there is war in Europe, everything is about politics

Whatever site you're getting these ideas from, cut that out of your life. Especially if its coming from opinions of random crazy people in the comments.

I used to feel similar. Then I became more disciplined about working fixed hours and started going for long walks and it helped. Sometimes all the anxiousness can be fixed by simple lifestyle changes. Wishing the best to you.

I gave up looking at my anxiety in a negative way. Instead i look at it as a tool my subconscious and body use to communicate with my conscious mind to raise flags about potential issues.

I’ve heard about people among my circle die during the pandemic because they were careless. Here i am not even having been infected. I hear about people struggling to pay for gas yet here i am driving my 10mpg two seater just for fun. I hear about people struggling to pay bills yet here i am with savings in my account to last for a decent number of years. All of those people used to tell me i worry too much, i am too anxious yet somehow they ask me to find them jobs or come looking for advice.

Like you i work my ass off, i invest in courses, i do consulting and do side gigs. I invest my little money in various things and i keep an eye on events around me.

My “anxiety” pays off. I accepted it as part of who i am and i am no longer looking at it in a negative way. If i watch a netflix movie and my mind tells me i should do something useful then thats what i do.

In my view its a matter of perspective. Clinical anxiety is not great, and one should seek professional help. But when anxiety tells you you should keep building and investing in yourself then you should listen to it. Of course one should be careful with not burning out and one should dose the amount of effort put into things, but to me you sound like someone who is responsible and the type of person that pulls others up and that is a good thing. But remember, you need to let your body and mind rest from time to time so you can focus better.

Once one accepts this then the anxiety you describe will become a normal thing and you will even be able to enjoy things knowing that you are still in control where possible. At least thats how it works in my case.

If your primary anxiety is related to providing for the people around you and the potential that it all comes crashing down maybe start figuring a way to start a business that incorporates your concern for science and people while helping the planet, helping the poor, without political extremity and not alienating the youth. Maybe that’s something far more boring than your full stack work. A hydroponic organic farm that you hire your family to run that in the worst of times is self sufficient, if it’s a possibility where you live, a franchise of a restaurant you enjoy and don’t find objectionable. Nice things, hobbies, vacations and the like might feel empty for you without meaningful work, 45 hours a week is a lot of billable time, plus the additional career development. Maybe cut out the professional development, work half as much as a dev and devote that new free time to the things you really care about and Give yourself the time to let an idea blossom.