The best way to learn this is to go out in conditions that are a little windier than you are comfortable with and practice the maneuver until it IS comfortable. You want to "stretch" your comfort envelope a little at a time so that each step is manageable. You can climb a tall, steep mountain with many small steps, grasshopper.

This is a good technique for anyone - determine your weaknesses and work on them in the conditions where they start to show up. Get Rick White's book and read it also. Yes, it has been a while since it was written but most of the info about technique stays the same.

Last note: This is another reason why racing is so valuable to learning quickly - it encourages you to go out in conditions that you might otherwise not sail in and accumulates lots of experience and advice in a friendly gathering for your quick ascent up that mountain of a learning curve!