CHAPTER 5

Reducing worry

We all know what it feels like to worry: it goes with being human. Experts reckon that around four out of ten people worry every day, with the most common topics being work, health, money and relationships. Worry is also a very common feature of anxiety.

Worrying is all about fixing on a particular part of life and imagining what might go wrong. And whether we’re fretting about serious issues (Is my job at risk in the recession?) or relatively trivial problems (What if I can’t find anything nice to wear to that wedding next month?), worrying is no fun at all.

When we worry, we try to second-guess the consequences of whichever negative event happens to be on our mind. If I lose my job, will I manage to get another one ...

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