"Very often when we feel anxious, we respond with self-criticism," said clinical psychologist Adia Gooden, PhD. Instead, soothe yourself with self-compassion. This means "noticing the physical sensations associated with what we are feeling, allowing the anxiety to be present without judgement or trying to push it away, remembering that anxiety is a normal human emotion, and offering ourselves love and comfort for the anxiety we are feeling," she explained.