Is Worrying Helpful?
What is the silliest thing you have ever worried about? Are you a, “worry wall?” Do you constantly worry about your health, loved ones, your job or your finances? If so, this post is for you!
“Worry is like a rocking chair,
it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.”
-Van Wilder
Today I will answer these three questions.
1. Why do we worry?
2. Is worry beneficial to our lives?
3. How do we stop worrying?
Worry is the opposite of hope it steals our peace and physically and mentally can drain us. It can drain to the point of making us sick.
So, who worries? According to WebMD people who are, “worry warts.” tend to be prone to the, “what if disease,” while the lucky few merely worry about something when it happens. Robert L. Leahy, PhD, the author of,” The Worry Cure,” suggests, “There may be a genetic component.” “There are also nurture or non-nurture factors.” But for many of us this may be habitual.
Why do we worry? I believe we worry as a form of control. WebMD also suggest that the worrier’s credo is that if you can simply imagine something bad happening, it’s your responsibility to worry about it. I used to suffer from the, “what if disease,” as a young adult, and did I pay a high price for it. I remember thinking that if I did not focus on worst case scenarios, I was not preparing myself or I had no real control of the future. In my very depressed mind this was healthy, because I was putting on armor for all the bad things that would happen. The saddest thing about it, was that my worst case scenarios never happened. So basically I tortured myself for nothing!
Whatever may be your situation, I want to assure you that you can conquer this. Worrying is not beneficial! Dr. Leahy suggests that worriers are more likely to have irritable vowel syndrome, nausea, fatigue, and aches and pains. I support this view, because when I let worry take over me I end up with aches and pains in my back. I have also observed friends and family becoming fatigue and depressed.
Is it possible to stop worrying? The answer is YES! I could give you some simple steps but I am going to put it plain and simple. First identify your worries. Look at the worst case scenarios. Now switch it. Focus on best outcome. What feeling do you like best? The positive or negative result? Go with what feels better. Move to that positive energy. It’s ok to embrace the unknown in a positive way. Be patient, don’t jump to conclusions about results. But if you must, focus on those results that have only beneficial outcomes. Remember that the results will never be as bad as you think it will be but if it is, take it as an opportunity to grow! Tell yourself that, “this too shall pass,” and know that you can and will overcome anything.
In conclusion, it is human nature to worry about the unknown. But it’s also ok to let things go and not to worry about things that have not happened. If you can change it to get a better outcome do it! Otherwise, take a deep breath and stop worrying! Another suggestion is to practice patience and understand that you have no control over what happens to you, only to your reaction to it. As the exceptional human being that you are, you are capable of dealing with any difficulty in a proactive way. Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly about worst case scenarios. Believe that whatever may come your way you will deal with it as it comes.
Yet, If you still have to worry because of past practice I suggest you get a Worry Doll from Guatemala. You simply tell your worries to the doll before you go to bed and job is done!
Yet, If you still have to worry because of past practice I suggest you get a Worry Doll from Guatemala. You simply tell your worries to the doll before you go to bed and job is done!
Until next Monday BELIEVE you can stop worrying about situations that have not happened, CHANGE those negative brain patterns to BECOME the awesome you!