If you're like me, waiting time can be filled with wondering and worrying, especially if it involves waiting for test results. Your imagination, possibly aided and abetted by your doctor's "It could be ...," automatically goes to the worst-case scenario - many times, all for naught.

So, how do you quell that propensity to activate the stress response?

As soon as you notice that you are on that roundabout of non-productive emotions, change the way you think and feel.

"How?" you ask. Practice.

Recall how you felt when you did something you loved. Remember a loved one. Lose yourself in the moment and do something you enjoy doing. Know how it feels when your heart rhythms smooth out.

But what if your mind wanders off into the murky waters of worry? Practice.

Recall how you felt when you did something you loved. Remember a loved one. Lose yourself in the moment and do something you enjoy doing. Know how it feels when your heart rhythms smooth out.

When you worry, it's like you're practicing - endlessly - for an event that will never occur and, if it does, you will have very little say in the way it takes place. So, if you're going to practice, why not practice stress undressing techniques.