When the next scary economic news hits, decide exactly what you are afraid of before worrying takes over. For instance, if hearing a report about stalling real estate markets pushes your worry button, ask yourself and your network exactly what should be feared? Markets are abstract economic concepts, you and your home are not.

What am going to do about what I'm afraid of?

This is the type of fight-back question that will replace vague worrying with specific take-charge action. Adopt our IDENTIFY-STRATEGIZE-ACT approach to neutralizing the bad news that keeps rolling our way:

Slowing real estate markets could worry sellers who must sell now. Excellent real estate marketing advice is essential to minimize concerns and achieve goals. Those who cannot sell for the top dollar they expected have a good chance of making up the financial difference when they buy in this declining market. If you plan to stay where you are for a few years or longer, a slowing market may hold no risk for you. Reduce worrying by acting to maintain and improve your property to preserve and increase home equity. Knowledgeable local real estate professionals can offer insight here.

Strategies to head-off problems can overcome them before they hit. For example, if local job loss patterns have you concerned, learn as much as possible about how relevant these trends are to you and your income. Instead of waiting until you get the bad news about a lay-off, start learning new skills or transforming a hobby into a business, so you don't have all your income eggs in one employment basket. Professional career advice may help you increase your value to your current employer, or zero in on emerging employment options. Lowering debt, curbing spending, and expanding your contact network will all strengthen your position and replace worrying with strategizing for success. The net will get you started and help you identify the issues, but talking to the experts in your neighbourhood and about your neighbourhood will get you worry-busting results.

Is your real estate fear grounded in generalities or specific reality? Sweeping news stories about economic downturns can be unnerving. Discover exactly what there is to fear by applying the generalities to your specific property or location. If you're worried by a study on how tough retirement is going to be for those in debt, consider your definition of "retirement" and your debt reduction potential before you panic. The 21st-Century version of retirement includes income-earning through out the years, so building your abilities in these areas will strengthen financial stability. Nonprofit debt counseling services are available with professional input on debt reduction that should replace worrying with action the antidote to worry.

Believing you can reach a problem-free "once this is over, everything will be perfect" state is what drives too many people into worry overload. Problems and worries won't stop coming. You'll just get better at reducing their impact. Increasing your resourcefulness by anticipating problems and strengthening your fight-back network battles worry and makes problems solvable.

As you overcome a current worry, continually remind yourself that if you don't solve and let go of this problem, you won't be strong and forward-focused for the next one. Adopt a fight-back theme song or mantra to trigger your strength. Hum a few bars of "Don't Worry Be Happy," or yell (silently or otherwise) "Onward & Upward," which is my personal proactive mantra for maintaining forward momentum whatever happens. Source: What's Your Point?