How do I stop being so anxious when my partner needs space or time alone?

Patanjali teaches that much of our suffering comes from misidentifying ourselves with our attachments. When your partner needs space, that anxious spike isn't actually about them—it's about a story you're telling yourself about what their distance means about you or the relationship. The practice here is observation without judgment. Notice the anxiety arise: the tightness in your chest, the urge to text, the catastrophic thoughts. Don't push it away or act from it. Just watch it, like clouds moving across sky. This creates what Patanjali called *viveka*—discernment—between the actual situation (your partner taking space) and your mind's interpretation of it. Then ask: Is this distance a reflection of their love, or my fear? Often it's neither. It's just a human need. When you can sit with that discomfort without needing them to fix it immediately, something shifts. You begin to trust both them and yourself more. Try this: Next time they need space, set a specific time you'll reconnect, then redirect your attention inward. Meditate, journal, move your body. Let their autonomy strengthen your own.