A major cause of anxiety is feeling out of control. In psychology this relates to the concept of, 'locus of control' or what effect you believe you have on things. If you believe what you do matters, you have a stronger internal locus of control. If you believe things are out of your control, then you have a stronger external locus of control. How can this knowledge help us relax?

For every situation there are always things in our control Finding an agent or publisher for a book you've written can be very stressful. An author may think it's completely out of their control if their novel is chosen. To a degree they are right. But lets take a moment to think about some of the things this writer can still have control over. Here's a list; what agencies they contact, how many queries are sent, will they continue to edit in the meantime, and should they start their next book.

The idea that we have control over what we do, and that our choices impact our emotions and the outcomes of things, can bring relief to feeling subjected to the whims of outside forces. How we handle stress is also within our power. Do we sit with worry, or can we find ways to feel better during stressful times? There are wonderful grounding activities, breathing exercises, and distraction techniques to help us through difficult moments until we're in a stronger position to tackle a problem.

So if you're finding your anxiety soar, remember to give a boost to your internal locus of control. The more you take charge of your goals, the better you will feel. An added benefit-taking charge will lead to greater success.