6. Be Your Own Disaster Master
Worrying is a choice, and you can choose not to do it. Once you catch yourself, you can say, “Okay, I know all I’m doing is going around in circles. So I’m getting off this bus. I’m not going to do this to myself.” Then, get completely absorbed with something that requires your complete mental attention: do a Sudoku puzzle, add some numbers to your cell phone, write a book on Twitter, count the change in your piggy bank, start your taxes early, etc.

7. Stop Playing God
You can’t plan for every outcome. So worrisome thinking such as If this, happens, I’ll do this. If that happens, I’ll do that. If this and that happen, I’ll do this and that will only drive you up the wall. Truth is, you don’t know what will happen five minutes from now, let alone tomorrow, so stop trying to do God’s job

8. Don’t Control Others with Your Worries
Worrying about loved ones wastes a lot of time and opens up the door to permanent estrangement. The antidote? Let people be who they are. Stop forcing others to do what will make you feel better, instead of what they want. Don’t manipulate them into eating what you want them to eat, going where you want them to go, or doing what you want them to do under the guise of love. Give people credit for having half a brain and knowing what’s good or bad for them. You’ll cut your worrying in half.

9. Rein in Your Imagination
Many worriers are gifted with imaginations. Don’t use yours against yourself. Instead of doting on the worst-case scenario, conjuring up negative images of doom and gloom, use your mind to form a positive picture. Visualize what’s good about the situation. Think about the best possible scenario or outcome instead.

10. Practice and Pretend
Pretending you’re not anxious when you are interrupts the worry cycle so you can practice going about your business as usual—uncomfortable but still functioning. After you survive a series of nail-biting experiences that turn out to be nothing to worry about, your mind will say, “See I told you so.” Practice and pretend not to worry and, in time, anxieties won’t paralyze you. Remember, though, that you can’t just stop worrying all at once and expect results. Decreasing your tendency to worry takes dedication. But will I worry about not worrying and make myself anxious? I think not.

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