96 Don’t Let A nxiety Run Your Life
object or situation you identified from the previous practice, espe-
cially if it’s something you are actively trying to overcome. Once
you have identified your behavioral target and planned your expo-
sure, choose a specific day and time and follow through with your
exposure. Mindfully rate your levels of distress before, during , and
after the exposure, and summarize one or two things you learned
from the experience (you can use the worksheet at http://w w w.new
harbinger.com/34169). Do this once a day for a week, and track
how your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations differ each time.
A lso consider extending the length of your mindfulness practice
each time. Keep in mind that the amount of time is less important
than devoting a meaningful amount of time to each exercise. For
example, if you were to practice being in an enclosed space, such as
an elevator, the first time you try it you might only be able to toler-
ate staying in the elevator for 4 seconds. The next time, however, it
would be appropriate to try to increase your tolerance by staying
in the elevator for a second or two longer. If you were mindfully
confronting a fear of talking on the phone, you might increase the
length of time you talk on the phone by a minute or two each day.
Essentially, the amount of time by which you increase your prac-
tices should be relative to your ability to tolerate the anxiety.