Try taking inventory of your current list of anxieties. If you are honest with yourself, you will likely find that most of these worries are unfounded.
Do you remember what you were worried about a year ago? How did those issues resolve? Did you not waste a great deal of energy on most of them, only to gain nothing in return? As Mark Twain aptly stated: "I have grown old, and I know many troubles, but few have actually occurred." Worry is like a non-existent debt, yet we pay the interest in advance. If you suffer from excessive worry, the best remedy is to "respond as you encounter." This simple "four-step method" has helped many people overcome their anxieties with remarkable effectiveness.
First, clearly write down your concerning situation. When facing a problem, avoid prejudice or preconceptions; instead, thoroughly understand the cause and course of the event. Professor Hux of Columbia University stated: "Half of all worries are caused by making decisions based on incomplete understanding." Therefore, the first step in solving a problem is to understand the root cause of its existence; otherwise, there is no way to proceed.
Second, ask yourself: "What are the actual chances of this happening?" "What is the worst possible outcome?" Often, when you review the potential consequences, the pressure and fear associated with the problem are significantly reduced.
Third, since you have already prepared for the worst, be ready to accept it if it truly happens. Once you resolve to "accept this outcome," there is no longer anything left to worry about.
Fourth, immediately take steps to prevent the situation from worsening, and calmly work to improve the worst-case scenario.
