The Five Sources of Anxiety

Why We Lose Presence and How to Return to It

Anxiety rarely comes from one place. It arises when our actions, feelings,

and thoughts drift away from presence and begin occupying our limited

time and energy with fear, doubt, or self-judgment. Understanding these

five sources helps students—and all of us—recognize where our suffering

begins and how to use the Tools of Loving Intention to return to emotional

responsibility.

  • What it is:

    When life presents too many options, our mind becomes overwhelmed. We fear choosing wrong, missing out, or disappointing others. The ego tries to predict every possible outcome, pulling us out of the present.

    How it affects us:

    • Overthinking

    • Indecision

    • Fear of regret

    • Paralysis instead of action

    Return to presence through loving intention:

    Use clarity, patience, and responsibility to choose what aligns with your purpose—not what satisfies temporary wants.

  • What it is:
    We imagine possibilities that haven’t happened yet—many shaped by fear rather than faith. The future becomes a place we suffer in advance.

    How it affects us:

    • Worry

    • Anticipatory dread

    • Catastrophizing

    • Loss of confidence

    Return to presence through loving intention:
    Use faith, gratitude, and optimism to ground yourself in what is real right now, not imagined.

  • What it is:
    Old mistakes, regrets, guilt, or shame replay in our mind. We judge ourselves for who we were, forgetting we can freely choose who we are now.

    How it affects us:

    • Self-criticism

    • Rumination

    • Difficulty forgiving yourself

    • Identity wounds

    Return to presence through loving intention:
    Use forgiveness, humility, compassion, and honesty to release what cannot be changed and learn from what remains.

  • What it is:
    Conflict, miscommunication, unmet expectations, resentment, or emotional injury—whether with partners, parents, friends, or ourselves.

    How it affects us:

    • Frustration

    • Disappointment

    • Resentment

    • Anger 

    • Animosity

    • Contempt

    • Hatred

    Return to presence through loving intention:
    Use communication, empathy, respect, compromise, and the 3 C’s—Commitment, Communication, Compromise—to reconnect emotionally and rebuild trust.

  • What it is:
    The most powerful source of anxiety. It arises when we fail to treat ourselves with the same loving intention we naturally offer others.

    How it affects us:

    • Feeling unworthy

    • Low confidence or insecurity

    • Negative self-talk

    • Emotional exhaustion

    Return to presence through loving intention:
    Use kindness, patience, gratitude, trustworthiness, responsibility, and faith to rebuild your relationship with yourself.
    Loving yourself appropriately is how you honor your creation.

Bringing It All Together

These five sources of anxiety are not flaws—they are signals.
Each one tells us that our consciousness has drifted from the present moment, where joy is possible.

By applying the Tools of Loving Intention and using our Unique Abilities—conscious awareness and free choice—we return to the only place life can be lived:

Here. Right now. With loving intention.