In a new interview, the 'Free Guy' leading man says that he overcomes his anxiety by setting his goal 'to be present' so he can 'fully' embrace and live his life.
- Oct 29, 2021
AceShowbiz - Ryan Reynolds has opened up about how intense work affected his mental health. In a new interview, the "Free Guy" actor revealed that he sacrificed his "well-being" for work and achievement after unveiling his struggle with anxiety.
In a candid interview for WSJ magazine's cover story published on Thursday, October 28, the 44-year-old actor divulged that he faces anxieties about doing everything all the time. "I tend to bite off way more than I could or should chew," he admitted.
"I think maybe it's just that Canadian sensibility: 'Well, I said I was going to, so I have to deliver this.' I will do that at the cost of my own well-being sometimes," Ryan continued. He went on to say, "I fixate on things. That's sort of the engine of anxiety. I lay awake at night, wrapping and unwrapping every possible scenario. I slept at a perfect right angle for so many years."
Ryan then hinted that he's planning on taking a break from the movie industry. "I tend to pave over anxiety with work and, to a lesser extent, achievement," the "Deadpool" actor told the publication. "You want to tick boxes sometimes. So these days, my goal is to be as present as I can."
Ryan noted that he didn't want to "just tick a box just to do it." The "Red Notice" actor added, "I'm fully embracing and living that right now." He then confessed, "It's been amazing. Heartfelt personal-growth quote: check," making a checkmark in the air.
Previously, Ryan announced that he would be stepping back to focus more on being present in his private life. In an Instagram post he shared on October 16, he wrote, "Perfect time for a little sabbatical from movie making."
Ryan's wife, Blake Lively, trolled him in the comments as saying, "Michael Caine did it first." The "Gossip Girl" alum referred to Michael's announcement that he's retiring, though his representative later said that he's actually not going into retirement.
