Women's Health

Escape from the Worry Trap

Relaxation Techniques continued...

Simply choose a familiar tune, then set your troubles to music. For example, instead of crooning the traditional words to "Mary Had a Little Lamb," imagine warbling, "My credit card bill is going to be late, going to be late, going to be late; my credit rating will be ruined, and I'll never get a mortgage."

Sing your own version of the worry song in your mind, or out loud, for a few minutes, until you feel less anxious.

It works because "the singing makes you feel ridiculous," says Wilson. "And it's very hard to maintain your distress when you're doing something foolish. You step back from the worry and put it in perspective."

Moving On
Done everything you can possibly do? Then make up your mind to move on. Imagine yourself placing your worries in a box and tossing that box in the trash — for good.

Originally published on October 18, 2007

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