Cut it Out – The Law of Subtraction in Lowering Your Anxiety (90 Second Read)
Daniel Crosby • November 21, 2023

The LAW OF SUBTRACTION is strategically removing anything from our lives that is:

 

CONFUSING

 

WASTEFUL

 

UNPRODUCTIVE

 

HURTFUL


Have you been dating someone and they say they value the relationship but then constantly cancel plans last minute? That is going to increase your anxiety by causing you to question your value. That is CONFUSING. It might be time to subtract that relationship from your life and find one that is healthier with someone who has clarity.


Do you find that when you’re anxious you get on Amazon and start looking for things to buy? “If I had that thing, I think I would feel better about myself.” That is WASTEFUL. Stuff doesn’t lower anxiety. It might be time to subtract retail therapy as a cheap dopamine boost from your life.


Do you feel busy and overwhelmed but then catch yourself scrolling on Instagram Reels, TikTok, or Facebook way longer than you anticipated? That is UNPRODUCTIVE. It might be time to subtract social media from your life by deleting the apps off your phone entirely for a few months to reset.


Is there an unhealthy friendship or intimate relationship in your life? We’re talking harmful toxic people here. That is HURTFUL. If you’ve been assertive, tried to rebalance the relationship, and sought reconciliation but the other person refuses to collaborate, it might be time to hit the eject button.


HOMEWORK:

Think about the areas of your life where anxiety rears its ugly head. What do you need to consider subtracting from those situations that might lower the anxiety?


Every day I help hurting frazzled people by walking with them as they get back on the path toward becoming who God created them to be. Shoot me an email if there’s anything I can do to help you or someone you know.

"Uncomfortable" Book Review

By Daniel Crosby • May 7, 2025
“Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community” by Brett McCracken is a great book to read if you’re a church person or if you’ve become somewhat detached and frustrated with the church. McCracken challenges all of us, conservatives and progressives, to think about the WHY behind Christian community and one of the fundamentals of finding the WHY is approaching it with humility. Maybe you having it your way and telling everyone else they’re wrong wasn’t exactly what Christ had in mind when He instituted the church. iPhones and iPads seem to have morphed into iChurch in a sense. American culture has turned Christ’s church into a business that caters to our comforts aesthetically, relationally, and politically. It’s made us consumers, critics, and reviewers of the Church rather than servants of THE Kingdom. It’s not wrong to have preferences and to like some things better than others. Music, décor, and speaking style are all over the spectrum at different churches, but he argues that the point of picking a church and serving in it should be less about does it meet my needs and more about whether I’m showing up and using this place along with this group to glorify God. He annoyed me in parts because he steps on my toes but maybe we need that a little more often. If you’re disenfranchised with the status quo and you feel like it’d be good to be challenged about church then go grab “Uncomfortable” by Brett McCrackin.

Look for Beautiful Things

By Daniel Crosby • April 28, 2025
Look for beautiful things when you're restless, uncomfortable, or on edge. There's something about acknowledging the good around us that helps us reset and realize that it's not all bad. If you're struggling to see beautiful things in the world, come see me and we can talk more about it. www.danielcrosbycounseling.com

"The Needs of the Heart" Book Review

By Daniel Crosby • April 24, 2025
“The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd is a book that will blow your mind. When I picked it up, it’s a very small thin book. Less than 100 pages. I assumed I’d breeze through it in a couple of hours. About a month later I finished digesting it. The truth is we cannot fully live the life God has called us to unless we acknowledge that we do have needs, that these needs are good, and discover the healthy ways of meeting these needs. Chip takes common human needs like Security and Accomplishment and he unpacks what they really are pointing us to in his typical concise but brilliant depth. There’s no fluff here. With chapters just 3-4 pages each, you’re going to want to have a highlighter ready to underline, to ponder these topics, and maybe then to discuss them with someone you know and trust. You’ll come away from this book with a deeper sense what is already fulfilled within you and ones that might be lacking where you need to go do a deep dive with a lot of prayer and introspection. If you liked Chip’s book “The Voice of the Heart,” this is one is your next read. Go grab “The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd.