Do you sometimes find that you just can not get rid of those niggling thoughts that play on your mind? Maybe they keep you awake in the middle of the night - or maybe they are always at the back of your mind and it is just one more thing you have to contend with during the day.
As if anxiety wasn't enough! Well, worry no more - and reduce your anxiety at the same time.
Here are 3 great tips to help you cope: Turn worry into problem solving

• Write about the situation which is worrying you - put down all your thoughts and feelings associated with it.
  
• Write down all the things which you can do to improve or solve the situation - whether they are realistic options or not.
  
• Look at each idea and decide whether it is something which you might be able to use.
  Mark all the ideas which you might be able to implement.
  
• Pick 2 or 3 ideas which you can put into practice - and decide when you will start using each idea.
  Go on - pick a date!

Worry time!

• If you find that you worry off and on during the day, put aside a time of day when you will specifically allow yourself to worry (but not at night - that really is not conducive to a good nights sleep!).
  Give yourself 30 minutes maximum for your worry time.
  
• Be very strict with yourself and if you start to worry outside of this time, remind yourself that you can only worry within the allotted time slot.
  
• When you reach that time, allow yourself to worry if you want to but often you will find that you don't feel like worrying when you allow yourself to!
• If you do worry, write down your worries and when you have finished your allotted time, look at your worries and pick which one you want to deal with.
  Create an action plan to resolve the particular worry you have selected.
  

Think yourself positive At any time of the day or night, when you start to worry (or even if you're not worrying - you can never practise too much), take some time to repeat these positive thoughts to yourself.
The power of positive thinking should never be underestimated.
Oh, and say them out loud with conviction!

• "I am going to be alright"
• "I can do this"
• "It is OK to make mistakes"
• "Things may not happen the way I want them to, but I can cope with it"
• "I have coped before and I can cope again"

Next steps So there you go.
3 great tips to beat those worry thoughts which just aggravate your anxiety.
Keep practising these techniques and you will start to notice the difference.
And keep trying - changing your thoughts and the way your mind works is the key to managing your anxiety.
© 2008 Karen Field and Break Free From Anxiety.