Women have men beat when it comes to worrying–and that’s part of the problem. “Girls are socialized to be less assertive and independent than boys,” says Holly Hazlett-Stevens in “Women Who Worry Too Much: How to Stop Worry & Anxiety from Ruining Relationships, Work & Fun” (New Harbinger Publications, $13.95 paper).
The heart of the book is the exercises Hazlett-Stevens provides for women to define and determine their levels of worry and anxiety.
It’s time to fret when worry affects health (causing tension headaches and sleep difficulties), work (staying focused and fearing failure) and relationships (fearing rejection and avoiding social situations).
But before turning into a worrywart, Hazlett-Stevens offers solutions in achieving your goal of turning your worry habits around.
“Monitoring your worry spirals is a must!” says the author.
You can start by tracking and evaluating your worries in a notebook or journal and working through them to break the cycle.
On tracking worry: “No matter what’s happening inside you at the moment, examine your experience as if you’re a scientist who is curious about how something works.”