“I’ve promised myself that my phobias won’t prevent me from experiencing things.”

Annie Korzen is always imagining the worst case scenario. “You see a beach, I see shark attacks. You see a zit, I see melanoma. You say ‘tomato’ and I say carcinogenic pesticides.” She’s used therapy to try to control her fears, but finds that techniques like positive imagery don’t work for her. Instead, she confronts her anxieties by imagining even more horrible circumstances; after all, it could always be worse.

Annie shares with us how she has embraced her fears. “Just because you’re afraid of something doesn’t mean you can’t be good at it!” We talk about the empathy she has for her mother’s agoraphobia and the impossibility of parenting children to feel safe in the world when you don’t feel safe yourself. And how everything that happens in your life is copy. 

TikTok sensation Annie Korzen is the author of THE BOOK OF ANNIE: Humor, Heart and Chutzpah from an Accidental Influencer. She was the recurring Doris Klompus on Seinfeld, and has written humorous essays for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and many more. Annie has performed her solo shows on three continents. She is a Moth Mainstage storyteller, and can be heard on TheMoth.org. Annie has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Tavis Smiley, and Dr. Phil. Learn more about her on AnnieKorzen.com or watch her posts on tiktok.com/@akorzen