I started freelancing two years ago; undoubtedly, it’s been a rollercoaster. Although I considered writing on something as pertinent as imposter syndrome, which has often driven me insane and to question my talent, I realised that my biggest struggle to date was freelancer anxiety.

Whether it’s believing that my editor will be pleased with something as simple as a pitch or the fear of never producing enough pieces, the crippling anxiety that comes with freelancing can be overwhelmingly daunting. And for those who feel the same, your worries and concerns are real and deserve acknowledgement.

The first thing we need to do is learn to read our bodies.

As a first-born African daughter, I’ve known anxiety from an early age. Whilst I couldn’t name it then, I could count the numerous times I felt my heart coming out of my chest for reasons many would perceive as minimal. From forgetting to defrost the chicken to failing a test, the gnawing sense of threat was always there. Due to the intricacies of being the eldest daughter, I’ve been consumed by the constant need to be perfect, which then imploded into the necessity to please others and being unable to say ‘no’.