It was just another day at school, but Anna started having trouble concentrating. She just could not focus, all she could think about was the upcoming test and her first soccer game coming up. She has always felt this way before a test but this feeling has been getting worse, especially with her playing on a soccer team for the first time.

That evening, Anna had no appetite at dinner, her mother started to worry something was wrong. "Honey do you feel ok?" her mother asked. "Ya I am fine," Anna replied going to her room, although not even knowing if she was really fine on the inside.    

As she lay in bed, Anna was tossing and turning. Her mind should have been shut off for sleep, but crazy thoughts ran through her head. "What's wrong with me?" she whispered to herself. Her thoughts flooded her mind like a raging storm. Was she going to fail the test? Was she going to mess up the game? As these thoughts persisted she wondered why she felt them. She knew there was nothing to worry about, yet she still felt them. "What is this feeling?" she wondered.

"What's wrong with me?"

It was the next day. Anna, who barely got any sleep started to get grumpy and moody. "It's time to get up," called her mother. "I know," Anna replied with an attitude. At breakfast, she didn't eat much and when her mother asked her to clear her plate, Anna was too busy worrying and too tired to hear her. Her mother again asked in a raised voice, "Take care of your plate, Anna." "OK!" yelled Anna. This time her mother knew something was up, Anna never behaved like this.    

Please clear your plate, Anna.

OK!

This was the morning of Anna's first soccer game and the test. Her mother again asked if everything was ok, this time Anna said, "I am just tired." Her mother remember what today was. So trying to be supportive, she said "Good luck on your test, I know you will do fine and I cannot wait to see you play soccer." "Thanks," Anna replied. 

Thanks.

Good luck!

At school, she again could not concentrate. She did fine on the test but knew she could have done better if she could have gotten a better night's sleep. If only she could just focus more, maybe that would have helped. Now all of her attention was on the soccer game.