Seneca practiced picturing hardships in advance, not to brood, but so that no trouble would land as a total shock. He said the blows we expect strike softer than the ones we never imagined. There's a gentle version of this you can use. Instead of frantic worry, you quietly acknowledge that hard things happen, and remind yourself you've met hard things before and found your footing. This isn't pessimism; it's a way of taking some of the terror out of the unknown. When you've calmly faced that difficulty is part of any life, you carry less dread, and more of the quiet confidence that you'll handle what comes.

Inspired by the old idea of premeditation of adversity. Written by Ugo Charles.