Ten notes for one moment, played on repeat.

Steady in the Waiting Room

Play it on the way to your appointment or in the waiting room, with headphones in. It takes two or three minutes. Before you go, write down your questions and anything you want to mention, so you don’t have to hold them in your head.

Read by Ivy
  1. I’m waiting to see the doctor, and I came because I’m looking after myself.
  2. Nerves make sense here. I can feel nervous and still walk in.
  3. My questions are written down, so my memory can rest.
  4. Saying I’m nervous is allowed. Doctors and nurses hear it all the time.
  5. If something isn’t clear, I can ask them to explain it again in plainer words.
  6. Slow breath in, long breath out.
  7. Worst cases are guesses. The doctor will fill in what I don’t know yet.
  8. I can bring someone, or ask for a pause. I have more say here than it feels like.
  9. Whatever I learn today, I’ll know more than I did, and that helps me choose well.
  10. Right now I’m here, looking after myself. I can handle the next few minutes.

In the app, hear your own lines in a realistic voice, or your own, and change any of them. Get early access

Why it’s written this way

Many people put off appointments because of nerves, so this loop starts by treating going as an act of self-care. Then it makes the nerves normal, because fighting them tends to make them louder.

The middle notes are practical things that make appointments easier: questions written down, permission to say you’re nervous, permission to ask for plainer explanations, and the option to bring someone or take a pause. Each gets a note so you can call on it in the room. The breathing note gives your body something to do while you wait.

The note about the worst case doesn’t tell you everything will be fine, because the loop can’t know that. It treats worst cases as guesses and leaves the facts to the doctor. It ends on the next few minutes, which is a stretch of time anyone can manage.

A loop like this isn’t a replacement for care. If anxiety is getting in the way of your days, talk to a doctor or a therapist. If you’re struggling or thinking about harming yourself, you can call or text 988 in the US (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.