#47 What's Really Causing Anxiety

The statistics are staggering: women are affected nearly twice as often as men and young adults (16–24) have the highest rates.

Jul 29, 2026

The emotion of our time is anxiety.

That may sound like a bold statement, but the numbers agree.

In 2021 alone, 359 million people worldwide were diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Young adults (16–24) have the highest rates, with 31.5% to 38.8%. Women are affected nearly twice as often as men.

These are just the official statistics from the World Health Organization.

And while there are no official studies yet, if you spend any time around entrepreneurs or freelancers, you feel it immediately. The pressure. The restlessness. The constant sense that something important is at stake.

So the obvious question is this:

Why now?

Some blame social media.

Others point to political and economical instability, financial pressure, competition, isolation, or nonstop work.

Even coffee plays a significant role in increasing anxiety.

These factors cause the amygdala (the brain’s “threat detector”) to become overactive, leading to a constant state of perceived danger.

All of that is true.

But none of it is the root cause.

The real cause is simpler, and far more uncomfortable to look at.

Wanting.

We live in a world that constantly trains us to want more. More success. More objects to buy. More approval to get. More information to digest.

And the moment you want something, you also create its shadow: the fear.

The fear of not getting it.

The fear of losing it.

The fear of falling short.

The stronger the want, the stronger the anxiety.

Think about the last time you felt anxious before something important.

A high stakes business meeting.

A romantic date that mattered.

Asking for a raise.

Waiting for an answer you deeply cared about.

The anxiety was not caused by the event itself.

It came from wanting a specific outcome.

Now remember a moment when you met a friend.

You do not feel anxious meeting an old friend when you want nothing from them.

No performance.

No outcome.

No internal scoreboard.

Just presence.

This is why anxiety clusters so strongly around achievement driven people. Most entrepreneurs live almost entirely inside wanting. Wanting results. Wanting growth. Wanting validation that their effort is paying off.

And the world is making this worse.

Social media is a comparison engine. It whispers softly “Look what they have. Look how far they are. Look what you should want next.”

The result is endless wanting, and endless anxiety.

So what do you do?

You do not fight anxiety directly. That is less efficient.

Examine your wants.

Not the obvious ones. The subtle ones. The fantasies your mind keeps projecting about how things should turn out.

Then you do something most people never think to do.

You take one fantasy and deliberately list its drawbacks.

Not one or two. At least twenty five.

If this really happened, what would it cost me?

What new problems would it create?

What would I lose in exchange?

When you do this honestly, something remarkable happens.

The fantasy loosens its grip.

The want softens.

And anxiety fades, naturally.

Because anxiety cannot survive without wanting.

This is not just a nice theory. It is a practical process you can run today.

Look inward.

Find the wants hiding in plain sight.

Balance them with the drawbacks.

Calm follows.

Love and Wisdom,

Monica and Stefan

P.S. During August, we’ll be sending only 2 messages per week instead of 4 for the “The Space Between the Strings” series—on Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. EST.

If you see this message, please reply and let us know what you think about this frequency. Is receiving 2 messages per week a better fit for you, or would you prefer 4 for “The Space Between the Strings”?

Thank you 🙏