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Artist beautifully illustrates the transformative power of turning toward fear

In just six images, Cécile Carre captures what therapy for fear and anxiety can do.

By

Annie Reneau

Array
Array – Photo credit: Cécile Carre/Facebook

Fear is a finicky beast.

When my oldest daughter was in the deepest throes of a clinical phobia, her fear overtook everything. She practically became a hermit at 16, afraid to go anywhere. Thankfully, we found an excellent therapist who taught her how to tame her fear, to gently manage it, to approach it in such a way that allowed it to dissipate instead of continuing to dominate her every thought.

People who struggle with anxiety or fear, whether it stems from trauma or wonky brain wiring, understand how overwhelming it can be. Fear and anxiety can feel incapacitating at times, making you want to run far away or curl into the tiniest ball and disappear. But neither of those things actually helps. In fact, the first thing my daughter’s therapist told her is that avoidance always make anxiety worse.

The first image shows a girl curled in a fetal position with her back to a big, scary monster bearing down on her, with a word painted beneath it.

“Everyday…”

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As the girl turns and faces the monster, it immediately looks less scary. Still big, still towering over her, but not terrifying.

“…Trying…”

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As the girl walks toward the monster, she starts looking bigger. The monster transforms into a mirror image of herself, the terror of it literally melting away.

“…to watch…”

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And then it becomes a child looking for comfort rushing into her arms. Even its color begins to blend with her own.

“…and embrace…”

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And then a baby, purely in need of nurturing, wrapped lovingly in her arms.

“…my fear…”

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And then…nothing. Just a simple, calm little diamond where the girl was.

“…until it disappears completely…”

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The work of turning toward what you fear is not simple or easy, and it may take therapy, medication, or other methods to treat mental illness effectively. But this series of paintings shows what many experience when they stop avoiding and start approaching the roaring voice that tells them to be afraid. Though it’s thoroughly terrifying to make that initial turn—I saw it in my own daughter, and it took a lot of effort—seeing the beast shrink down and eventually disappear is an incredible gift.

Thank you, Cécile Carre, for illustrating that so beautifully. You can order her prints here.

This article originally appeared on 03.06.20

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    sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo
    Can a warm cup of tea help you sleep better? If you believe it, then yes. Photo by Dana Ciurumelea on Unsplash

    You could take the concept a step further and alter your morning routine on nights you know for a fact you didn’t sleep well. Perhaps it’s by using a new coffee brand, doing some stretches before getting out of bed, or meditating before starting your day. Anything that you truly believe might help make you more alert and focused may just work.

    One viral social media sleep trend capitalizes on this research perfectly. Researchers have shown that forcing your mouth into a smile has been shown to improve your mood. Turns out, similarly, you may be able to get sleepy by pretending to be super tired. Psychologist Erica Terblanche calls it the “alpha bridge,” and it involves gently closing your eyes, fluttering them open just a tad, and then closing them again as you relax and breath. It simulates the feeling of “nodding off” and is said to create the alpha brainwaves that transition your brain from wakefulness to sleep. It’s another clever way of tricking your own brain.


    @erica.terblanche

    Here’s a skill to help you fall asleep on an airplane or anywhere else for that matter. . Its called going over the Alpha Bridge. #EricaTerblanche #ThriveGuru #motivation #sleeping

    ♬ Solas x Interstellar – Gabriel Albuquerqüe

    It sounds cheesy, but the power of mindset and positive thinking is truly tremendous. Our beliefs and thought patterns can greatly influence our body, our behavior, and our mood. Sometimes, our mindset can even be stronger than actual reality. Now we have the data to prove that it applies to our precious sleep, too.

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  • ‘Spiritual shift’: ICU nurse shares the one phrase that means someone will pass very soon
    A man who is ready to pass away. – Photo credit: via Canva/Photos
    ,

    ‘Spiritual shift’: ICU nurse shares the one phrase that means someone will pass very soon

    “You guys, people know when they’re gonna die.”

    Tod Perry

    When people in the healthcare world experience people dying on a regular basis, they begin to see patterns as to when patients will pass away. Hospice workers say that when people are in their final days, they begin to see the people they’ve loved in the past surrounding their hospital bed. They will share many of the same regrets and have frequent hallucinations.

    Kirstie Robb, a TikToker who has worked as an ICU nurse for the past four years, has noticed a trend in people who are about to pass away. She says that when she hears a specific phrase from those who are brought in, regardless of the reason, they will be gone very soon: “Every single person who passes away says the same thing,” she explained in her TikTok. “They say…’Can you please tell my family I love them? I don’t feel good. I know I’m gonna die.’”

    Somehow, people know when they are ready to die

    Death is such a mysterious process that Robb can’t believe that so many people she’s seen know when the moment is upon them. We’re never trained to sense our death. Why is it that these people have such a clear understanding that it is upon them? Robb says it is due to an internal, spiritual shift that defies medical understanding. “You guys, people know when they’re gonna die,” she says.

    @kirstierobbb

    those who are meant to see this will see it.

    ♬ original sound – kirstierobbb

    “There’s a shift that happens that’s spiritual, that nobody can explain, right? Their vitals may be stable. Their condition may be the exact same way it was when they came in. There’s nothing inherently dangerous,” she continued. “Yet in every single circumstance, no matter what brought them in initially, no matter how many hours it is from the last time that they said that, they always die. Always.”

    Lessons from being among the dying

    Robb’s experience with the dying led her to remind everyone how important our lives are and to focus on what truly matters, rather than chasing material possessions. “Life is not meant to be an endless pursuit of things. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Life is meant to be appreciated. Life is meant to be explored. Why are you actually here?” Robb asks.

    There is no research-based reason for this shift that occurs in people when they know they are going to pass. But David Casarett, M.D., explained his experience with it in Psychology Today.

    afterlife, going to the light, bright light, death, final days, hallucination, heaven
    A man walking towards the light. viau00a0u200bvia Canva/Photos

    “What they tell me is that they feel—something. Something different, or changing, or new. One young man dying of a sarcoma told me he felt free. Another middle-aged woman dying of liver cancer said she felt like she was falling out of a plane. Both had been correct to sense something amiss, and both died within the hour,” Dr. Casarett wrote. “I don’t know how we could possibly foresee our own deaths. I’m not saying it’s impossible; it’s just beyond my power to explain.”

    While there is a lot of mystery surrounding death, Robb and Dr. Casarett’s experience with it shows that those who are ready to pass away seem to be at peace and are accepting of their final journey home, wherever that may be. It should give all of us a feeling of relief that our final hours may be the most peaceful we ever experienced.

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  • ,

    Google productivity expert says “fun homework” can make you happier. Here’s why it actually works.

    The simple trick Google productivity expert Laura Mae Martin swears by.

    Kat Hong

    We all know the feeling. You walk through the front door after a long day, or slam your laptop shut, and the weight of the world slides off your shoulders. Your overworked brain, desperate to relax, entices you to collapse onto the couch and scroll through your phone until it’s time to sleep.

    But is this the best way to recharge? By doing nothing? Experts say no.

    @xparmesanprincessx Spending this cozy Sunday planning my curriculum for 2026 ✍️ I’m going to break my year up in to 4 semesters with different themes and focuses for each month and have more long term learning projects like relearning Spanish! #curriculum #learning #personalgrowth #personalcurriculum #books ♬ original sound – Elizabeth Jean

    A fascinating trend on social media is trending, called the “personal curriculum.” Championed by Google executive productivity advisor Laura Mae Martin, the concept is simple yet counterintuitive. The idea is to assign yourself “homework”—not to earn a degree, promotion, or extra cash, but for the pure joy of learning. TikTok user Elizabeth Jean also helped popularize the term “personal curriculum,” and posts videos with tips on how to create your own.

    Adding tasks to an overflowing to-do list might sound like a recipe for burnout, but Martin suggests that a structured, self-directed learning plan can boost energy, sharpen the mind, and restore a sense of identity.

    The unexpected science of “fun homework”

    It’s easy to compare our brains to batteries that drain during the day and require total rest to recharge. But cognitive science shows that our minds are more like muscles. To stay healthy, we need new and interesting activities that challenge us.

    When we engage in what researchers call “cognitively stimulating activities,” the physical structure of our brains changes. A 2017 report from the Global Council on Brain Health highlighted that keeping the mind active is essential for maintaining brain health as we age. Creative activities like painting, photography, or writing can reduce cortisol levels and lower stress hormones, creating an emotional regulation loop that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for the next day.

    A systematic review in BMJ Open found a clear link between lifelong learning and a lowered risk of dementia. Researchers explained that challenging the brain with new information builds cognitive reserve, a.k.a. its ability to adapt and remain resistant to damage.

    Think of it as investing in your mental future. Each time you tackle a new language lesson or deep-dive into Renaissance art history, you’re strengthening your brain in ways that can last a lifetime.

    Redefining what it means to be productive

    The word “productivity” can carry heavy connotations. It suggests endless checklists, exhausting efficiency hacks, and squeezing every drop of output from our waking hours. Laura Mae Martin offers a refreshing alternative, defining productivity in simple terms: productivity is accomplishing what you intend to do, when you intend to do it.

    This meaning allows us to reclaim our time. It shifts our mindsets from external validation to internal satisfaction.

    How to build your syllabus

    Let’s put this in practical terms. How do you bring these “nice ideas” into the real world? By creating a “personal curriculum” and treating it with the same respect you would have for a college course. Humans respond well to structure and deadlines. Here’s how to create a syllabus that sticks:

    1. Follow the spark: Genuine curiosity must drive your personal curriculum. If you hated calculus in high school, don’t pick it up again for arbitrary reasons, like trying to feel smart. Look for subjects that make you lose track of time. Identifying every tree in your neighborhood could be one, or mastering the perfect sourdough loaf.
    2. Diversify your materials: Learning exists everywhere, not solely in dense textbooks. Keep required texts engaging and fun, mixing in podcasts, workshops, flashcards, and documentaries. If you are learning a new language, listen to an album in that language. If you’re studying paleontology, visit a local natural history museum.
    3. Set the scene: Get yourself in the zone with a little learning mise en place. Find a specific chair and reserve it for reading, or flipping through flashcards. Make a study playlist and fill it with songs to play in the background. When you sit in that chair, or hit play, you are signaling to your brain that it’s time to switch into “student” mode.


    The 20–30 minute rule

    Don’t spend all your free time on this. Overload is the greatest pitfall with personal curriculums. We get excited, plan to study every night for two hours straight, then find ourselves exhausted and discouraged.

    Sustainability lies in the “Goldilocks” rule for time commitment: keep sessions between 20 and 30 minutes.

    Simple 20–30 minute blocks fit into even the busiest schedules. Slot one in after dinner or while drinking your morning coffee. Yet, they’re long enough to achieve a flow state.

    @valeriecradd November curriculum! I’m keeping this months curriculum light! – #novembercurriculum #selflearning #blackgirltiktok #blackgirlcontentcreator ♬ Coffee and Chords – ya-su

    Valerie Craddock, a content creator, shared her November curriculum on TikTok, embracing this method. It included gentle, actionable goals: walk 8,000 steps, practice penmanship three times a week, work out for 30 minutes. By keeping her curriculum low stakes, Craddock set herself up for a winning streak instead of a guilt trip.

    Make room for what matters

    How do you protect this newfound time? Martin suggests a simple but effective tactic: integrating your personal calendar with your work one.

    This gives you a complete view of the week. You might see Tuesday packed with meetings, so you’ll make a mental note to keep that evening free. Thursday looks much lighter, offering the perfect window to pencil in that 30-minute creative writing session.

    productivity, book, google, expert, homework
    Woman working, productively. Photo credit: Canva

    An approach like this helps you honor the natural ebb and flow of energy, and prevents you from overcommitting on days when you’re already drained. When you schedule “fun homework” with the same seriousness as an All-Hands meeting, you’re sending yourself a powerful message: personal growth is as important as obligations.

    Redefining “you”

    One of the most rewarding aspects of the personal curriculum is its ability to reshape our sense of self. In a society obsessed with asking, “What do you do for work?” discovering an answer that’s not attached to a paycheck can feel freeing.

    When you learn, you transcend the role of parent, employee, or partner—you become a historian, linguist, painter, or botanist.

    Buy the notebook, write a syllabus, and enjoy becoming a beginner again. You might discover that a little homework can unlock the key to reconnecting with yourself.

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  • Experts explain why the ‘Infinity Tracing Technique’ can be a game changer for people with insomnia
    Left: A woman who can't sleep. Right: An infinity symbol. – Photo credit: Canva
    , , ,

    Experts explain why the ‘Infinity Tracing Technique’ can be a game changer for people with insomnia

    The simple technique can help with basic relaxation, too.

    Cecily Knobler

    It’s 2:00 a.m., and you simply can’t get your mind to shut down. You’ve tried counting sheep, but they just keep crash-landing into meadows, making the insomnia even worse. Maybe you’ve tried every trick in the book, from over-the-counter sleep aids to lavender-scented pillows. Well, there’s one more trick to try, and some people swear by it.

    It’s called the “Infinity Tracing Technique,” and it’s actually quite simple. Simply put your finger in the air and imagine tracing the infinity symbol (the number eight sideways) for a couple of minutes. This easy technique can instantly help calm an overactive mind.

    @drjoe_md

    Is the infinity tracing technique the hack you need for an overthinking brain? #overthinking #anxiety #insomnia #mentalhealth

    ♬ original sound – Dr. Joe, M.D. ?

    Dr. Joe Whittington explains the idea in layman’s terms in a TikTok video. “You ever lay in bed at night overthinking all the embarrassing things you’ve done since childhood?” he asks. “Same. So I’m gonna teach you a technique that might help you calm your overactive brain.”

    He breaks down exactly how to do it:

    “What you do is you take your finger, put it in the air, and you trace the infinity symbol slowly and methodically. Not like you’re casting spells. And as you’re tracing this infinity symbol, you’re gonna just follow it with your eyes. Only your eyes. What this does is it activates your vestibular center, which is involved with your balance and eye movements. When your vestibular system gets activated, it can help calm racing thoughts. Sort of like distracting a toddler with a shiny object, except for the toddler is your overactive brain.”

    It’s helpful to the brain in other ways, too. “It’s a technique often used in therapy and neuroscience to help you stop doomscrolling your regrets,” he adds.

    relaxation techniques, sleep, sleep hacks, Infinity Tracing technique, figure eight
    A blue light painting of an infinity symbol. Photo by Sandip Kalal on Unsplash

    Whittington is likely referring to a therapy technique called EMDR, which uses similar methods involving eye movement. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and it’s used to help people process complex trauma.

    The EMDR Institute explains how it works:

    “During EMDR therapy, the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Therapist-directed lateral eye movements are the most commonly used external stimulus, but a variety of other stimuli, including hand-tapping and audio stimulation, are often used.”

    Similarly, the Infinity Tracing Technique pairs eye movements with specific brain activity to help calm the mind and redirect focus. This technique has recently become popular due to therapists and influencers sharing it online.

    Sarah Jackson offers additional insight in her Instagram Reel, where she demonstrates the process using a capped blue marker to “write” in the air. She explains that “Figure-8 tracking,” as she calls it, activates not only the vestibular system but also the ocular system.

    “Eye muscles connect directly to the brainstem — the part of the brain that governs survival functions,” she writes. “Tracking a moving object sends rhythmic signals, saying: I’m balanced, I’m oriented, I’m safe.”

    Jackson further explains:

    “The vestibular system regulates balance and spatial orientation. Its connection to the brainstem helps calm the nervous system. Smooth, predictable movement supports groundedness, signaling safety. Cross-lateral movement integrates both hemispheres, aiding emotional processing and shifting focus from internal preoccupation to external grounding.”

    Many followers of both social media accounts say they’ve benefited from the technique. One TikToker jokes, “So I don’t need to try to remember my junior high school locker combo?”

    On the Instagram Reel, one commenter notes that the technique works: “This is great and so effective! I’m always looking for quick wins like this on those days where you can’t tell where the time goes.”

    Keep Reading →
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