Before anxiety provoking situations I have a tendency to imagine the best possible outcome. Like if I can think it, it will happen... and I'm not even talking about the things I myself do but I'm imagining things outside my control like other peoples actions. Maybe that is my attempt at trying to have some command in an uncontrollable world. These events never turn out in my idealized way. I'm just setting myself up for failure & disappointment; which in turn makes me fear and avoid more and more situations.

A book called The Tools gives a technique for situations that are wished to be avoided [which could be anything from something boring to something emotionally or physically painful/trying]. You imagine doing the thing you are nervous about or afraid of and imagine the worst possible outcome... you just imagine yourself pushing through it and surviving it. That way you have prepared yourself for the worst outcome (which most likely will not happen) and in your mind you survived it. This works best for me if I also feel compassion & patients toward myself in my 'fantasy' as I fail or as the situation goes terribly wrong; as I'm embarrassed or in pain. This way when I have to face whatever it is I'm afraid of in reality I'm not overly critical of myself and I haven't set my hopes on impossible standards.

If you have imagined the worst... it can only get better from there.