Anxiety and the Ideal Friend

In the way life throws curve-balls, I recently discovered that my ideal friend is someone who struggles with anxiety. Greetings Everyday Spy, In the way life throws curve-balls, I recently discovered that my ideal friend is someone who struggles with anxiety. If that surprises you, just imagine how much it surprised me! Now let me tell you how I figured it out and why it makes perfect sense. First, I have never suffered from anxiety a single day in my life -- not once, not ever, and that’s not an exaggeration. Jihi jokes that I’m blind to risk. She says I’m so deep into thinking about the future that I glaze over the fear, embarrassment, and anxiety of today. She is my wife, and she knows me well, but she is a victim of anxiety herself (more on that later!) and prone to overblow things a bit. I feel fear and risk just like you do, but I also trust the rules of probability and reason. When odds are in my favor, I strike. When they aren’t, I wait and recalculate them again later. For me, it is really that simple. There is no little voice whispering I’m wrong; no nagging churn turning my stomach sour; no endless loop of ‘what-ifs’ cycling through in my mind. So if I don’t have anxiety, why the hell would I think my ‘ideal friend’ is someone who does?! The answer to this question is exactly what blew my mind… My ideal friend has anxiety because they are the exact opposite of me, and opposites attract. - People with anxiety think through every detail -- I don’t. - People with anxiety feel extreme emotions -- I don’t. - People with anxiety think some things are impossible -- I don’t. When I spend time with an anxious friend, I get to live life through their eyes... Every detail, every emotional high, every devastating low, every new discovery, every broken barrier, and list goes on. And without them, I can’t. People like me (people without anxiety) live too far into the future to appreciate the present. We miss the richness, the joys, the growth that can happen in small moments right now. My wife, Jihi, was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) while we were serving at CIA. And after the medical team at CIA diagnosed her, they had total confidence sending us out as a tandem couple to operate together with little to no outside support. CIA knew we were a powerhouse team -- my boldness moved operations forward; her anxiety made sure every detail was considered. We were stronger together than we were alone. And that simple fact is the reason I can tell you with total confidence now that my ideal friend struggles with anxiety. If you know the sinking, twisting, painful feeling of anxiety, you are not alone. Yes, there are others like you (18% of American adults, in fact). But even more powerful is the fact that I am looking for you to be my closest friend; my confidant; my life-long partner. When you hide from the world, you hide from the world I can unlock for you. And you prevent me from seeing this amazing world from your point-of-view. Anxiety is real. It is scary, painful, and present. You already know that. Let me show you how you can turn your anxiety into the adventure of a lifetime… Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - [Your life of adventure, meaning, and purpose is one click away. The Private Intel Pipeline is the most direct, simple, and easy route to a high-paying elite private intel career. Click here to start your new life.]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043