10 Things We All Worry About

Unclench your fists, slow your breathing, and let go of your hair. We’ve got good news for you worrywarts— we’re all doing it!

- Shari Nementzik

Terrified of terrorism? Self-conscious all the time? Career conundrums? How do we know? We asked over 500 Cosmo readers what their greatest worries are, and it turns out we fret over the same things. Yes, we’re a worried bunch, but enough is enough and now we’re calling it quits on this toxic relationship. So, we’ve gathered a team of experts to help silence that inner voice once and for all and bust our top 10 concerns.

1. YOUR CAREER

Whether you’re worrying about job security, your salary, or whether or not you’re in the right job altogether, the best thing you can do is remind yourself that you are not your work. “We all want to achieve the best that we can, but sometimes we can raise the bar too high,” says Dr. Stephen Carbone, former GP and now policy and evaluation research leader with the non-profit Australian mental health organization beyond blue. “I’m not saying people shouldn’t try to do their best, but if you put all of your eggs in that basket and your identity depends on you being this wonderfully successful person and you’re not going to value yourself unless you’re CEO, there’s a risk you’re going to fail because there’s only one.” Dr. Carbone says to always give it a go, give it your best, and if you succeed, pat yourself on the back. But if you don’t, you tried, and failure is not a reflection on someone’s ability or personality, it’s just the way the world works.

To keep your worries at bay, do something little every day for your career, even if it’s as simple as just updating your CV or attending a seminar. “You are many things, and what you do as a job is just one of those things.”

2. TERRORISM