Feeling Anxious? What to Do With a Worry
Editorial Guide · Updated October 2026 · 3 min read
When you are feeling anxious about what might happen, write down the worry and separate the facts from the prediction. Then choose one practical step you can take, or decide when you will next check for information. Coping with worry starts with a manageable response, not a promise that everything will go well.
Try making the uncertainty more specific. Write down the event you are concerned about and what you can actually do today. You do not need to force yourself to feel certain about something that remains unknown.
Separate a worry from a task
- Write one worry in a sentence, rather than listing every possible outcome.
- Add the facts you currently have. Keep predictions in a separate sentence.
- If there is a useful action, choose its first step. If there is no action available now, decide when you will next check for information.
An everyday example
You have sent an application and heard nothing. “They have rejected me” is one interpretation; “I have not received a response” is the fact. A practical step could be checking the advertised response date and drafting a polite follow-up for after it passes. Reopening your inbox every minute adds no new plan.
If writing makes the worry louder
You can stop the exercise. Look around your surroundings, return to a familiar task or talk with someone you trust. If anxiety is persistent or disrupting your life, seek professional support. MoodFlip is a reflection tool, not anxiety treatment.
Use MoodFlip to choose the available feeling closest to your experience and consider one suggested action. You can leave any suggestion that does not fit.
Related Guides
Further reading: NHS guidance on worries