Our minds tend to work in this way. They focus on one thing over another; they might focus on either praise or criticism, on a frown or a smile, or on the watch a friend is wearing or the color of someone’s shoes. These biases can quickly fuel your anxious response. In addition to focusing on one thing over another, your mind can interpret the event on which it has focused in many ways. For example, you might interpret your piano teacher’s feedback as proof that you’re a poor student and that she’s disappointed in you

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