152 Don’t Let A nxiety Run Your Life
biases that disproportionately focus their attention on
threatening objects and thoughts. Such biases may make it
more likely that you would notice a look of dissatisfaction in
another person or even mistakenly interpret a neutral facial
expression as angry! To help you counteract this, in this
chapter we introduced two techniques that target atten-
tional control, building on the mindfulness techniques you
have learned so far. By exercising this important mental
muscle, you will be in a better position to use your attention
in a nonjudgmental, nonreactive manner that will decrease
the inf luence of your cognitive biases.