How to Stop Freaking Out Over Future Stress

Remember that scene in The Devil Wears Prada where everyone freaks out because Miranda Priestly is about to walk into the office?

It’s chaos—people scrambling, stressed out of their minds, and one person yells:

“Alright, everyone, gird your loins!”

Why? Because they know the storm’s coming, even though it hasn’t hit yet. They’re already panicking about what might happen.

That, my friend, is anticipatory stress.

It’s when your brain starts spiraling about an event that hasn’t even happened yet.

Maybe it’s an upcoming presentation or a conversation you’re dreading. You’re not in the moment—you’re stressing about the future.

Here’s the kicker: you’re freaking out about things that haven’t even happened. You’re already wasting energy on something that might not even go down the way you think. You’re on edge, bracing for a disaster… and it’s eating you alive.

Case in point - one small scene from the movie:

MIRANDA: I don't understand why it's so difficult to confirm an appointment?!

MIRANDA’S ASSISTANT: I know. I'm so sorry, Miranda, I actually did confirm last night

MIRANDA: Details of your incompetence do not interest me

Ouch!

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So how do you deal with this crap? Here’s the no-nonsense way:

Make a Contingency Plan Stop avoiding the “what if” scenarios. Face them head-on. Think of all the possible outcomes and create a plan for each one. This gives you control and the unknown factor that’s been gnawing at you? Gone.

Flip the Script Look, if you’re sitting there thinking everything is going to go wrong, guess what? You’ll act like it’s already a done deal. That’s how stress works. Instead, start picturing success.

Visualize yourself owning that presentation. Imagine the conversation going your way. Call it cheesy if you want—it works.

Prepare Like a Pro Here’s a secret: the more prepared you are, the less you have to stress about. When you’ve done your homework and you know your stuff, the fear of “what if” doesn’t hit as hard. Preparation equals confidence. Period.

Practice Mindfulness Stop living in the future. You can’t control what hasn’t happened yet. Focus on the present. Mindfulness exercises (like meditation) keep you from wasting energy trying to control every little thing. Stay grounded in the now, and you won’t feel so rattled about the next thing.

Here’s What You Need to Do Next

Anticipatory stress is a mental thief.

It steals your energy by making you worry about things that aren’t even real yet.

The fix?

Take control.

That’s what I’m breaking down in my upcoming workshop “Reclaim Your Calm Without Adding to Your To-Do List” on November 2nd.

We’ll tackle all the major stressors—time, situational, anticipatory (AND one more) —and I’ll show you the real strategies to keep stress from owning you.

You can learn more here.

Warmly,

Vanja

P.S. Grab the free Stress Management Emergency Plan Guide right now. Don’t wait—get ahead of the stress. Then, join me in the workshop and I’ll show you how to handle it all without losing your mind.