Keeping your cool in the midst of chaos is no easy feat. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do. It’s also one of the most important things you’ll ever get to do.

Each time you’re asked to do it, you’ll be confronted with a variety of reasons why it’s impossible. “I was raised by screamers.” “It’s just my personality.” “I tried it before, and it didn’t work.” When those messages start playing in your head, pay them no mind. They are the voices of negativity and failure. You don’t have to listen.

There will never be a perfect time to start managing your own anxiety, so don’t wait for one. As those messages rear their ugly heads, remember Honest Abe. Your resolution to succeed trumps any excuse, any circumstance, any baggage from your past. Period. You are far more powerful than you can even begin to imagine — once you begin to control your mind.