1. When overwhelmed with a problem/issue, ask:

What, if anything, can I do about this problem today?

Asking this question will keep you in the here and now and prevent your feeling overwhelmed by all the what if’s that tomorrow may bring. It also makes the problem bite-size-—we don't have to solve the entire problem. Begin by drawing on your Higher Power with the Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Then, brainstorm for 5 to 10 minutes to see if you can come up with any action step that is do-able for you today. If you produce any positive action steps, commit to doing them! If you cannot think of anything proactive that can be done, release it to God through prayer. Why continue to waste mental energy on things you have no power over?

2. When fretting, worrying, or agonizing over a potential problem that has yet to occur, ask:

          a. What is the possibility of this event occurring?

Think like a scientist who predicts in terms of probabilities. Give it a probability of occurrence with a percentage between 1% and 100%. Seldom are we 100% certain that a bad event is going to occur. Are you 20, 30, 40, 50% certain? Just reducing the probability below 100% is stress reducing, and brings the potential event more into line with "reality."

          b. Assuming the event does occur, how awful would it be?

Think like a scientist who measures the significance or meaning of events in terms of validity. Use the "Awfulness Scale" (1 to 100). A "100" on the Awfulness Scale can be the worst thing that's ever happened to you in your life. If you feel that nothing all that bad has ever happened to you, let the very worst thing that you can imagine be 100. Now consider: does the event you are worrying about rate a 10, 25, 50, even 75 on the Awfulness Scale? By putting the feared event in perspective, you reduce the dragon down to its real size.

Paul L. Warren, Psy.D.