STEP 8: Handle Your Worries
Stall Tactics That Work
An excellent stalling tactic is to postpone your worries for
a bit. When you notice yourself beginning to worry, then mentally agree to pay attention
to those worries. However, choose a specific later time when you will return to them.
POSTPONE YOUR WORRIES
-
Mentally agree to pay attention to your
worries.
-
Choose a specific time in the future when you
will return to them.
-
As that time arrives, either start obsessing or consider
postponing the worries to another specific time. Whenever possible, choose to
postpone.
How long can you postpone? Can you wait an hour? If you can't
postpone for an hour, try a half hour. Try fifteen minutes. Five minutes. Whatever it
takes, try to break the automatic process of worry. That's what postponing will do, by
letting you take control over when and where you worry.
Continue to postpone as long as you can. When you feel
incapable of postponing the worry any longer, then go ahead and address it. The key is to
let at least some amount of time pass without worries dominating your thoughts during the
practice.
Experiment with this technique a few times this week.
Whatever your worries--whatever the unproductive noises are in your head--practice
postponing them. In the process you will be practicing a skill that you can use in
preparing for any new challenges panic offers you.
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