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Anu

Anu Krishna  |1745 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Oct 27, 2020

Anu Krishna is a mind coach and relationship expert.
The co-founder of Unfear Changemakers LLP, she has received her neuro linguistic programming training from National Federation of NeuroLinguistic Programming, USA, and her energy work specialisation from the Institute for Inner Studies, Manila.
She is an executive member of the Indian Association of Adolescent Health.... more
SD Question by SD on Oct 27, 2020Hindi
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Relationship

Dear Anu, my problem is that from many years I suffer from fear of flying.

I had discussed this issue with one of my acquaintance who is a pilot. He has helped me a lot in coming out of this fear and I must say I am 65 percent cured now. Main issue begins here.

Whenever I have to travel through flight, anxiety overwhelms me, I start getting negative thoughts about flying, and I just keep sitting in airport and plane and don't talk to anybody and this anxiety goes only when plane lands.

I know the technicalities of flying but still I am not able to control my mind and keep getting so much and many negative thoughts. I fly regularly but not able to come out of this due to which I never enjoy flying and always become tense and this anxiety is at very high level.

Kindly help how can I divert my mind toward positivity and how can I stay away from all these terrible thoughts..

Ans: Dear SD, Welcome to this Fear of Flying Club! Many of us, and that once included me as well have certain fears when it comes to flying.

When I went deeper into my mind to lay these fears to rest once and for all, it was no surprise to see that for me, it was about not having control. Now obviously, what control am I going to have mid-air?

Like on roads, we are familiar with driving and have full view of the traffic ahead and this feels comfortable as we have a certain degree of control.

Mid-air, we suddenly are pushed out of our comfort zones. Ask yourself: What can I do to have the same level of familiarity? What you can model of the roads in air, is only through your imagination.

Since you have some hands-on-experience as I understand through your friend who is a pilot, imagine being one and taking charge.

Yes, though you are far away from the cockpit and in the passenger seat, your mind can frame you as a pilot sitting and having the control in his hands.

Go through an entire flight recreating the thrill that a pilot has when he/she takes charge right from entering the cockpit to landing the plane.

You may actually talk to your friend and ask him this entire experience. Simply mimic that feeling in your mind’s eye as the flight takes off the ground.

Does this help? Oh yes! Because fear crops in the mind as stories that we fuel; which means we are definitely in a position to extinguish this fuel by doing just the opposite and giving the mind a different experience that will lead to a calm and happier experience. Happy Flying!

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Anu

Anu Krishna  |1745 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Oct 21, 2024

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Relationship
Hi I am very troubled with negative thoughts for quite sometime. Thoughts about putting someone down or any activity not going to go right or imaginary argumentative conversations leading to me showing down the other person keeps preoccupying my mind. Basically I am trying to show down the other person or situation and trying to win my hand or situation. It keeps me occupied majority of the time even when I am driving, taking a walk or running, eating, during meditation as well. For real events like if I have to go buy something, I imaging the seller cheating me, giving me faulty product or not charging me more etc., while in reality it may not happen and I will take a sigh of relief. I was not like this. I was a very happy, positive & optimistic as a child, throughout school, college, at work and used to be an inspiration to many. I think my ruminations have slowly commenced as I grew in age and slowly the positivity has lead to negativity & anger. I am in fifties now. I have been trying to practice Vipassana meditation, trying to get back to exercise but it is not helping. This has increase multifold as in my daily interactions, I always find people/friends poking fun of me and trying to put me down and I fight back even though knowing that it will be of no use. I am nice to my friends and people around me but they are not the same to me. Due to this I am beginning to reduce my interactions and get away from the abuse. Though I feel that I still look at everything in a positive light but the negative ruminations due to the everyday insults / slights have begun to bother me a lot and not able to have positive thoughts. Interaction with family is also suffering. Once upon a time I had many friends who I could talk to freely without prejudice but now I don't as most of them are not nice anymore even when I am very nice, positive & encouraging with them. I hope, I made some sense. Seeking help and guidance.
Ans: Dear Buddhu,
There's obviously something that has triggered you to think and act differently and that is not known here.
The best way I can suggest is: To start journaling. To write down the days events can help you decipher what's happening and what have been your reactions to events during the day. It will give you an idea on what to change.
Find and ways and means of replacing all the negative thoughts and actions during the day with something more useful. Soon, you will be in a place where journaling not only becomes a habit but also it will in a way guide you into meaningful ways during instances for the following days.
So, make that Journal your Guide.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

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Archana

Archana Deshpande  | Answer  |Ask -

Image Coach, Soft Skills Trainer - Answered on Dec 05, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 03, 2024Hindi
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Career
I'm 24 yr old and I think I'm suffering from anxiety due to my overthinking nature related to career and my current situationship with a guy. Whenever I'm thinking about these two I feel shortage of breathing and empty stomach also cried a lot , find myself unable to sleep at night. I also have a short tempered nature easily got irritated and started shouting over people. I really want peace of my mind because it's slowly killing me from inside . I want to overcome .
Ans: Dear 24 yr old, beautiful soul, I am happy you are looking for peace. Let me tell you, peace and happiness should be the only targets in life, everything else is just riff raff. Take care that you value your inner peace more than anything else in your life...anything , everything and anyone coming in your way just needs to be cut out, don't give space to things/people who rob you of your inner peace. Till you overcome your anxiety, just avoid all that takes away your peace, avoid them physically first and then stop giving them space in your head.
Try deep breathing exercises, living in the moment, yoga, meditation....life is full of challenges, you cannot not face them, these will help you to face them with courage and clarity of thought.
Let me simplify... living in the moment right away... whatever you are doing.....let's say you are eating.. be fully present with it, involve all your senses, look at the food, smell the aroma, feel the food in your mouth, chew it and enjoy every morsel...this is being fully present in the moment. being in sync with what your body is doing and getting your mind to focus on the action completely. This is ZEN...just be fully present in every action of yours and see how powerful you become...
Let's deal with lack of sleep too...drink chamomile tea before going to bed, practice guided yoga-nidra before sleeping.
It's a vicious cycle you have got into...lack of sleep, this will lead to clouded mind, groggy mind, irritability, lack of appetite, anger, overthinking, no control over your mind and body... finally leading to anxiety.
Let's nip all this in the bud...
KEEP LIFE SIMPLE...I am just listing out your ""to do list.. without analysing it... pls just follow these for next 21 days, let's make all this into a habit for you..
1. SLEEP EARLY AND PEACEFULLY, AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ATLEAST 1 HR BFR SLEEPING
2.EAT ATLEAST 2 HOURS BEFORE GOING TO BED
3 GET 8-9 HRS OF SLEEP
4.EXPOSING YOURSELF TO THE SUN, WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF WAKING UP. SPEND TIME WITH NATURE, it is therapeutic
5. 20 MINS OF EXERCISE
6.GOOD HEALTHY BREAKFAST
7. CONSCIOUSLY EAT WELL THROUGHOUT THE DAY
8. STEER YOUR MIND TOWARDS POSITIVE THOUGHTS, BE CONCIOUS OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND BREATH
9.WHENEVER YOU FEEL ANSCIOUS, GET AWAY, EXCUSE YOURSELF ,CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR 10 MINS AND FOCUS ON YOUR
BREATHING..
10. VALUE YOUR INNER PEACE... AVOID EVERYTHING THAT DISTURBS YOU, TILL YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SAY " NO" TO PEOPLE, SITUATIONSHIP AND ALL THE STUFF THAT CAUSES ANXIETY.

All the ACTIONS listed are doable, just DO IT and transform your life.

If you are someone who reads then, read "Practicing the power of NOW" and " STOP overthinking". Both books offer practical solutions to being in the present and ways to stop overthinking.

Looking forward to seeing you as a powerful being... fully in control of your INNER PEACE.. All the best!!

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Kanchan

Kanchan Rai  |645 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Aug 25, 2025

Relationship
Off late ( 4-5 months ) iam experiencing extreme anxiety during flying. It was not there before. Also the recent airline accident and reading news reports about flight technical snags are adding to my worry. My job profile requires me frequency travel and i cannot avoid it. Can you pls advice me on some relaxation techniques or methods to calm myself while flying.
Ans: Hello Krish,
The important thing to remember is that flying itself remains one of the safest modes of travel, and your anxiety, while very real, is more about perception than actual risk.
When you notice anxiety rising before or during a flight, try focusing on your breathing first. A simple technique is the 4–7–8 method: inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 counts. This helps calm the body’s stress response. Pairing this with progressive muscle relaxation — gently tensing and releasing muscles from your feet upwards — can give your mind something to focus on and reduce the physical tension that comes with anxiety.
Visualization also works well. Before your flight, close your eyes and imagine yourself boarding calmly, settling into your seat, and landing smoothly at your destination. During the flight, picture a safe, steady path in the sky, like a road, reminding yourself that turbulence is just like bumps on that road — uncomfortable, but not dangerous.
Practical steps help too. Limit caffeine or heavy news consumption before you fly, carry calming music, podcasts, or even guided meditations on your phone, and try to keep your mind occupied with a book, work, or even puzzles. Some people find comfort in talking briefly to flight attendants — their calm and routine presence can be reassuring.
If your anxiety feels overwhelming or keeps getting worse despite these methods, it may help to work with a therapist trained in cognitive-behavioral techniques for phobias. Even a few focused sessions can equip you with tools to manage the fear more effectively.

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Ravi

Ravi Mittal  |676 Answers  |Ask -

Dating, Relationships Expert - Answered on Dec 04, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 02, 2025Hindi
Relationship
My married ex still texts me for comfort. Because of him, I am unable to move on. He makes me feel guilty by saying he got married out of family pressure. His dad is a cardiac patient and mom is being treated for cancer. He comforts me by saying he will get separated soon and we will get married because he only loves me. We have been in a relationship for 14 years and despite everything we tried, his parents refused to accept me, so he chose to get married to someone who understands our situation. I don't know when he will separate from his wife. She knows about us too but she comes from a traditional family. She also confirmed there is no physical intimacy between them. I trust him, but is it worth losing my youth for him? Honestly, I am worried and very confused.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
I understand how difficult it is to let go of a relationship you have built from scratch, but is it really how you want to continue? It really seems to be going nowhere. His parents are already in bad health and he married someone else for their happiness. Does it seem like he will be able to leave her? So many people’s happiness and lives depend on this one decision. I think it’s about time you and your BF have a clear conversation about the same. If he can’t give a proper timeline, please try to understand his situation. But also make sure he understands yours and maybe rethink this equation. It really isn’t healthy. You deserve a love you can have wholly, and not just in pieces, and in the shadows.

Hope this helps

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