Feeling on edge, unsettled, and anxious? You may need to step into the ring and fight the voice of doom and gloom. Here are some tips to help you boost your battle against ‘bad’moods!

STOP TERRIBILIZING. Assuming the worst may happen keeps your body in a constant state of tension, worry and anxiety. Unfortunately, this is part of an ancient biological program called “Negativity Bias” that makes us focus more on the worst case than the best case scenario. This backfires in contemporary life. Remind yourself that 85% of what we worry about never happens. Prepare and be proactive, but expect the best, not the worst!

START POSSIBILIZING. Learning to focus on positive possibilities is a learned skill. Even though bad stuff can happen, studies show that 80% of people said they handled it better than they thought they would. What you think about you will bring about, so focus on what’s right about a situation, not what’s wrong and you will tend to draw more of that energy to you.

FIND YOUR MANTRA. What can you say to support yourself during times of stress and worry? Build up your toolbox ahead of time. My sister uses “Keep it real!” to remind herself not to go to the dark side. I like “This, too, shall pass!” What works for you?

ALLOW FAILURE. Worriers are often perfectionists and hate failure. But you can think of failure differently: to learn from your mistakes, you gotta go out and make some! Just maybe life is taking you in a different direction than what you are demanding. Float past failure, forgive yourself, and above all, remain open to possibilities.

FIND YOUR “SWEET SPOT” BETWEEN DUTY AND PLEASURE. Life is a balance between “have-to” and “want-to”! Juggling responsibilities isn’t always easy. But it is super important to take a break and even pamper yourself. (Yes, it really is okay!). Hire a babysitter and go out, take a bubble bath, get a massage, take a hike and visit Mother Nature to ground yourself. Focus on fun and enjoy your days, there are precious moments awaiting you, why miss them?