Lesson 23: Put aside the impulse to "solve all problems immediately".

Duration:90 minutes

Topic Introduction: Anxious people often harbor a deep-seated belief: "Once a problem arises, it must be solved immediately." This urge to "control immediately" is actually the brain trying to eliminate uncertainty. But the world won't become safer just because you're in a hurry; it will only leave you increasingly exhausted. This lesson helps you train your ability to "delay your reaction," allowing you to remain calm even amidst uncertainty.

○ The "Immediate Fix" Mechanism of Anxiety

• Anxiety creates the illusion that you "must react immediately".
• Take immediate action → temporarily relieve anxiety → the brain remembers: anxiety = fast reaction → reinforces the vicious cycle.
• Over time, you begin to fear the state of "no immediate response".

Healing Goals: The shift from "fix immediately" to "allow it to exist" means that the problem can be left on the table and may not necessarily be resolved immediately.

Lesson 23: Put aside the urge to "solve all problems immediately" 🎧 Click to watch/listen to the reading.

In a state of anxiety, one of the brain's strongest driving forces is an almost commanding impulse: **I must figure everything out, process it, and resolve it right now.** As long as there are unresolved issues and uncertain answers, it's difficult to find inner peace. You might repeatedly think about it, make lists, research, and even stay up late at night, as if thinking a little more will bring you a sense of security.
This impulse doesn't stem from reason, but from the sense of threat brought about by uncertainty. The brain tries to eliminate anxiety by "solving everything," but the reality is that many problems are gradual and require time. When you demand an immediate answer, you're essentially putting your nervous system under constant high stress; the more you try to finish quickly, the less you can truly stop internally. A hidden consequence of this pattern is turning "thinking" into an "anxiety cycle." You're not moving things forward, but constantly repeating the same path of worry. You appear busy, but you're increasingly exhausted internally. Many people only realize they're not safer after becoming physically and mentally drained. The first step in recognizing this impulse is to pay attention to the urgency itself. When you find yourself thinking, "I must figure this out now," or "I can't feel at ease until this is resolved," stop and acknowledge that anxiety is driving you, not that the problem truly needs immediate attention. Next, practice distinguishing between "immediately actionable tasks" and "problems that require time to settle." The former are often concrete, like sending an email or making a small decision; the latter are complex and involve future uncertainties. Putting the latter aside temporarily isn't about escapism, but about acknowledging that it cannot be resolved through current effort. A helpful approach is to set "waiting periods" for problems. You can tell yourself, "I'll think about this problem again tomorrow afternoon." When you allow for delays, your nervous system gradually learns that not solving it immediately won't cause problems. As you begin to let go of the impulse to "solve everything right away," your inner space will slowly expand. You're no longer chased by problems, but instead begin to face them at the right time and with the right amount of energy. True stability isn't about all problems disappearing, but about no longer being led by a sense of urgency.

○ Audio - Guided Exercise: "I can think about it later"

Before using the audio, prepare a piece of paper. When anxious thoughts arise, write them down and whisper, "I see you, but I'm not making a decision right now." This helps your brain learn to distinguish between "thinking" and "doing."

○ Eastern Tea Therapy: Apocynum Venetum Heart-Calming Tea

Recommended reasons:Apocynum venetum can calm and lower blood pressure, making it suitable for anxiety types who experience "rapid mood swings and quick reactions".

practice:Take 2 grams of Apocynum venetum and a little mint, and steep in hot water. While drinking, silently repeat: "Don't rush for the answer."

○ Stable Dietary Therapy: Mung Bean and Kelp Clear Soup (ID23)

When you have excessive internal heat or are in a tense and alert state, clear soup can help your body cool down quickly and restore balance. Mung beans have a cooling and heat-relieving property, while kelp replenishes minerals and stabilizes nerve conduction. This clear soup is suitable for drinking when you are irritable, feeling hot, or experiencing a burning sensation before bed, allowing your body to gradually return from over-alertness to a state of calm.

Soothing and cooling Replenish minerals Stabilize nerves

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23-mung-bean-kombu-clear-soup

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◉ Japanese Dietary Therapy: Mung Bean and Kelp Soup (ID 23)

This is a classic "cooling" soup originating from traditional Chinese medicine and incorporated into Japanese yakuzen cuisine. Mung beans are known for their cooling and detoxifying properties, while kelp (seaweed) is known for its ability to soften hardened masses, promote urination, and clear heat. This soup contains no excess oil or heavy seasonings, allowing only the natural fragrance of the ingredients to shine through. When anxiety causes inner turmoil, sleepless nights, or a feeling of heaviness and bloating, this clear soup can soothe the body and mind like rain nourishing parched land.

Clears heat and promotes diuresis Relieve irritability Restful sleep

I. Recommended Dietary Therapy and Reasons

Recommended dishes:Mung bean and kelp soup (ID 23)

Recommended reasons:Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "the heart governs fire," and anxiety often leads to excessive heart fire, manifesting as mouth ulcers, facial flushing, insomnia, and excessive dreaming. The polyphenols in mung bean skins can effectively eliminate free radicals and heat toxins from the body; kelp is rich in potassium and mannitol, which can promote the excretion of excess water. The combination of these two not only provides physical cooling but also alleviates nervous tension caused by damp heat by improving water metabolism.

2. Recipe and Method

Recipe (Serves 2):

• 50g of mung beans
• Dried kelp (kelp), 10cm long.
• 800ml of clean water
• Add a pinch of salt (just to enhance the flavor, do not add too much).
• 1 small piece of rock sugar (optional, if you prefer a sweet soup).
• One small piece of dried tangerine peel (optional; it regulates qi, strengthens the spleen, and prevents cold and dampness from harming the stomach).

practice:

1. soak:Wash the mung beans and soak them for 2–3 hours in advance (refrigerate them in summer) to allow them to absorb water and swell. This makes them easier to cook until they are soft and mushy without destroying their nutrients.
2. Kelp processing:Wipe the surface of dried kelp with a damp cloth to remove dust (do not wash off the white bloom, as that is the source of umami flavor), then cut it into small pieces or tie it into knots.
3. Cook together:Place mung beans, kelp, and water in a pot. If you are worried about it being too cooling, you can add dried tangerine peel.
4. Cooking temperature:After bringing to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes.
5. state:Cook until the mung beans split open but the skins don't completely fall off (key:The skins of mung beans have the best heat-clearing effect, so don't discard them.
6. Seasoning:Add a little salt to taste before serving. A salty soup is better for promoting the downward flow of heat, while a sweet soup is more moisturizing. Choose according to your preference, but it is recommended to keep it slightly salty.

3. Small rituals for body and mind

Watching the mung beans tumble and leap in the water, imagine them capturing and neutralizing the "heat" surging within you.

Inhaling the ocean scent brought by the kelp, I took a deep breath and let my thoughts drift from the narrow anxieties to the vast ocean.

While drinking soup, feel the warm liquid flowing down your esophagus and silently tell yourself: "Worries go away with the water, and body and mind are refreshed."“

4. Dietary Therapy Experience Record

1. Record the time you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep that night, and whether it reduced the number of times you woke up feeling hot at night.
2. Observe whether the swelling in the body (such as eyelids and fingers) has lessened on the second day.
3. Record whether your mood has changed from "irritable and easily angered" to more peaceful.

V. Instructional Videos (approximately 3–5 minutes)

◉ Video Title:Green bean and kelp soup – a calming broth to relieve stress and heat.

6. Precautions

• Physical condition warning:Both mung beans and kelp are considered cooling foods. If you have a weak spleen and stomach (easily get diarrhea from eating cold foods, and your hands and feet are always cold), please be sure to add dried tangerine peel or ginger when cooking, or reduce the frequency of consumption (1-2 times a week is sufficient).
• Contraindications for medication:Mung beans have a certain detoxifying effect. If you are taking warming and tonifying Chinese medicine, please consult your doctor to see if it will counteract the effects of the medicine.
• Keep the bean curd skin:To clear heat and detoxify, please be sure to eat the red bean paste with the skin on; do not peel it and only eat the red bean paste.

hint:This dietary therapy is specifically designed for individuals with "excessive internal heat" or "damp-heat" constitutions caused by stress and staying up late. Those with a cold constitution should use it with caution.

○ Humanist Script of the Italian Renaissance - Lesson 23 Writing Exercises

Today's healing phrase:

Good fortune and harmony

In-depth analysis:

Anxiety creates a false sense of urgency, making the brain believe that "something bad will happen if it's not dealt with immediately." The line breaks and rhythm of Humanist Script train you to bring time back to a realistic scale. Delaying the process is not escapism, but rather a rational approach.

Writing Skills (Advanced Version):

• Writing in lines:Symbolic issues can be addressed separately.
• Clear beginning and end of strokes:Establish an awareness that "there is a beginning and a pause".
• Control line spacing:Avoid mental clutter.
• The stroke ends smoothly:Do not rush to rise or tighten.
• Repeat the writing:Neural pathways that weaken the sense of urgency.

Traditional mandalas typically feature symmetry and complex geometric structures, symbolizing the wholeness of the universe and the cycle of life. By drawing traditional mandalas, individuals can perceive inner peace and strength, achieving psychological balance.

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○ 23. Put down and fix immediately · Log-guided suggestions

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Sometimes the bravest action is not to do it immediately, but to choose not to do it for now.