--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning…" description: "\"“Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were the only things keeping me from stark raving lunacy.”\" — Julie Powell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg" --- # Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were… ![“Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were the only things keeping me from stark raving lunacy.” quote by Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg) > ““Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were the only things keeping me from stark raving lunacy.”” [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously links everyday worries to mental breakdown, suggesting mundane concerns keep us grounded. **In simple terms:** Small worries prevent madness. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage minor stresses. Themes anxiety humor mental health Mood wry reflective Type humorous observational When to use this quote - daily life - creative work - performance pressure Key Concepts stress management psychology Questions to Reflect On - What small stressors keep you focused? - How can you turn anxiety into productivity? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on trivial worries can distract from real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxiety Dry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-dry-4596308/) [Dry cleaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dry-cleaning/) [Performance anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-anxiety/) [Raving Lunacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raving-lunacy-4596309/) ## Related quotes > [“It was only once I was in the car ... that the only two reasons I hadn't joined right in with the loon with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/it-was-only-once-i-was-in-the-car-that-the-only-two-reasons-i-hadn-t/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [Barbra Streisand developed overwhelming performance anxiety at the height of her career; for 27 years she refused to perform for the general public, appearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/barbra-streisand-developed-overwhelming-performance-anxiety-at-the/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [“As a performing musician, Masha is especially concerned in helping those in the creative and sports arenas to reach their true potential. This could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mashasolodukha/as-a-performing-musician-masha-is-especially-concerned-in-helping/) [mashasolodukha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mashasolodukha/) > [The performance anxiety I had is still there. I've been given different kinds of tools and learned how to manage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/the-performance-anxiety-i-had-is-still-there-i-ve-been-given/) [Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/) > [We used to moralize; today we normalize, and performance anxiety is the secular version of our old religious guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/we-used-to-moralize-today-we-normalize-and-performance-anxiety-is-the/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [I am forever grateful that I got some training in the theater - it reduces performance anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-stiles/i-am-forever-grateful-that-i-got-some-training-in-the-theater-it/) [Julia Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-stiles/) > [“Well, Dr. Elpinoy will never admit it, but he suffers from performance anxiety-" "Oh, shut up, you old cad," Elpinoy said, finally uncrossing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-habel/well-dr-elpinoy-will-never-admit-it-but-he-suffers-from-performance/) [Lia Habel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-habel/) > [There's a big difference in doing a play or doing any project that not a lot of people see and then a project that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/there-s-a-big-difference-in-doing-a-play-or-doing-any-project-that/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [“Going on stage always felt like being shot out of a cannon. 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We only matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/somewhere-along-the-line-i-think-many-of-us-buy-into-a-lie-that-we/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“ PERFORMANCE ANXIETY If it is indeed human nature to seek social relationships, then why would someone choose not to socialize? As we discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/performance-anxiety-if-it-is-indeed-human-nature-to-seek-social/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [I am certainly suffering from a modicum of performance anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-am-certainly-suffering-from-a-modicum-of-performance-anxiety/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [In middle school and high school, I had straight A's, and I graduated at the top of my year. On the flip side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-giertz/in-middle-school-and-high-school-i-had-straight-a-s-and-i-graduated/) [Simone Giertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-giertz/) > [The excitement does not change. After 40 years in the business, I still find the show to be a magical moment - the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-armani/the-excitement-does-not-change-after-40-years-in-the-business-i-still/) [Giorgio Armani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-armani/) ## More by Julie Powell > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [“These are the times when we aficionados of the gas stove know we are on the side of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/these-are-the-times-when-we-aficionados-of-the-gas-stove-know-we-are/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [“Eric had to make me wake up for long enough to take out my contacts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/eric-had-to-make-me-wake-up-for-long-enough-to-take-out-my-contacts/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [The blog is certainly another tool for writers out there to break their way in. 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It's the center of the center of things. 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Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were the only things keeping me from stark raving lunacy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julie Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-bill-those-were-the-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-bill-those-were-the-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/julie-powell-10735_anxiety_performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-b_2162695.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill; those were the only things keeping me from stark raving lunacy.” — Julie Powell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Julie Powell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Performance anxiety and a dry-cleaning bill;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-bill-those-were-the-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/performance-anxiety-and-a-dry-cleaning-bill-those-were-the-only/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```