But there are steps you can take right now to interrupt all those anxious thoughts, lower your stress, and give yourself a time out from relentless worrying.

It may seem like a simplistic solution, but talking face to face with a trusted friend or family member—someone who will listen to you without judging, criticizing, or continually being distracted—is one of the most effective ways to calm your nervous system and diffuse anxiety. When your worries start spiraling, talking them over can make them seem far less threatening. But then imagine Sohal's surprise when he wakes up the next morning to find a set of funny, furry friends at the end of his bed! Shara’s attempts to distract herself from worry by being a perfectionist with her schoolwork or with perfect, sparkly stationery may be familiar to some young readers, and her journey in this book is that of realising that she doesn’t have to be perfect, or responsible for everyone else, all the time. Sheibani’s artwork in this two-colour young reader format is very appealing and accessible, making this a fun read as well as a particularly good one for mid-primary aged children who may be feeling a little anxious.Try deep breathing. When you worry, you become anxious and breathe faster, often leading to further anxiety. But by practicing deep breathing exercises, you can calm your mind and quiet negative thoughts. Relaxation techniques can change the brain

While negative beliefs, or worrying about worrying, adds to your anxiety and keeps worry going, positive beliefs about worrying can be just as damaging. Positive beliefs about worry Write down your worries. If an anxious thought or worry comes into your head during the day, make a brief note of it and then continue about your day. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it right now. Also, writing down your thoughts—on a pad or on your phone or computer—is much harder work than simply thinking them, so your worries are more likely to lose their power. An 'intolerance of uncertainty' means that the person with GAD will worry about an imagined feared event as long as there is even the slightest risk of it happening. Do you know a child who struggles with worries and anxiety? This might be the book to help you get them to open up to you about those worries and to work towards better mental well being. Oh, and have some fun along the way!Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Try not to get too hung up on finding the perfect solution to a worry. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the circumstances or realities beyond your control. If you're a chronic worrier, the vast majority of your anxious thoughts probably fall in this camp. Worrying is often a way we try to predict what the future has in store—a way to prevent unpleasant surprises and control the outcome. The problem is, it doesn't work. Create a “worry period.” Choose a set time and place for worrying. It should be the same every day (e.g. in the living room from 5:00 to 5:20 p.m.) and early enough that it won’t make you anxious right before bedtime. During your worry period, you’re allowed to worry about whatever’s on your mind. The rest of the day, however, is a worry-free zone. Go over your “worry list” during the worry period. If the thoughts you wrote down are still bothering you, allow yourself to worry about them, but only for the amount of time you’ve specified for your worry period. As you examine your worries in this way, you’ll often find it easier to develop a more balanced perspective. And if your worries don’t seem important any more, simply cut your worry period short and enjoy the rest of your day.

Focus on an aspect of your breathing, such as the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, or your belly rising and falling as you inhale and exhale. What’s the probability that what I’m scared of will actually happen? If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes? Pay attention to the sensation of your feet hitting the ground as you walk, run, or dance, for example, or the rhythm of your breathing, or the feeling of the sun or wind on your skin. So imagine her surprise when a host of furry, fretful friends arrive to cause some serious mischief. That's right, it's the Worries - gloomy Loner, nervous Change, pushy Jealousy and DJ Disaster, always waiting for something to go wrong. Set Worry zones or postpone your worry to take control of your worry & discover that you don't need to worry all the time.Not every portfolio holding has been doing well, for example. Companies in the discretionary consumer spending and cyclical end-markets have slipped. In contrast, its biggest holding, Benelux-based discount chain Action, has been consistently smashing it. Net sales jumped another 30% to €7.9bn in the nine months ended 1 October.