A dreaded situation that turns out all right may reinforce worrying behavior. Worry becomes the lucky charm that guarantees a good outcome. A candidate for chronic worry is someone who wants an event, or life, to turn out in a very specific way. The more limits you place on what will make you happy, the bigger the chance you'll be disappointed. A perfect setup for worry.
Chronic worry is a habit.
Once you've begun relying on worry to get you through difficult situations, it becomes automatic-like driving a car along a familiar route. The good news is that, because chronic worry is a habit, you can unlearn it and replace it with more helpful and healthful habits. Be conscious of your self-talk. Envision positive, realistic outcomes. Imagery is as powerful as self-talk.