Name the negativity

Are you stressing about an upcoming social occasion? ‘Acknowledge your feelings rather than ignoring them,’ says psychologist Phil Sharples (livelife.co.uk)**. ‘This takes the power away from them, puts you in control and will lead to more confidence in stressful situations.’ This is known as ‘affect labelling’.

✱ DO IT ‘Rather than just saying you’re stressed about a situation, go one step further and consider what exactly the problem is,’ says therapist Michele Ivory (theserenelifestyle.com). ‘There may be many elements you’re confident about, and only certain parts that make you feel anxious.’ This technique can help you feel calmer and more positive about it.