What You Can Do When Worry Takes Over
We all worry, its human nature. But if its a consistent state that we seem to fall into and we find ourselves worrying over everything, or we just seem to worry a lot, then we need to do something about it. Bottom line worry is based in fear. Whether its fear of loss, of not being good enough, feeling out of control and wanting to control everything, or just fearful that bad things will happen no matter what. Thoughts like this seem to get under the skin and eat away at you.
I know, I have always been a worrier. Its something that I still have to consciously deal with every day. But what I have noticed is that most things that I have worried about never happen.
Sometimes it seems easier to worry about something because you are used to thinking that way. Especially if there are people around who support that worry and worry too. You know these people because after you have been with them you tend to feel a bit down or negative. You probably have spent hours discussing your worries (and theirs) and going around and around in circles. Conversations with them might be about how scary it would be if, what would happen if this bad thing happened…
You see worry and fear are basically the same thing. And they stop you from seeing the miracles that are around you and all the good stuff that happens in your life on a daily basis.
One day I made a decision to really focus on what was good around me, what great things were already in my life and to surround myself with people that looked to the positive no matter what. It started with simple stuff. Being grateful for the little things. Turning my attention to other things when the worry cloud started to take over. Noticing when I felt a bit down and doing something to change my mood. And avoiding people that wanted to gossip and focus on all the bad stuff.
I also built a ‘panic switch’. Whenever I felt worry start to creep in I did the following steps:
- Either wrote down or made statements to myself 5 things I was grateful for. When I couldn’t think of anything I would say anything, like the coffee I have in the mornings, or the walk with the dog, or the fact that the day was sunny, or I didn’t get wet in the rain.
- I chose not to focus on the worry. I literally told my brain NO.
- I thought of someone I love and who loves me no matter what.
- I took long walks (for you it might be going to the gym, or yoga). While I was walking I listened to people that I follow. Whatever lifted my spirits. For you it might be positive pumping music, or funny stories.
- I decided to be happy no matter how I felt.
- I said to the worry, come back later I’m busy right now. I would even make a time I would worry about that particular thing. If I woke in the night and started worrying, I would write a note that I would worry about that at 10.00 am the next day. Anything that would trick my mind into changing its focus.
So what happened.
It took time and I still work at it so worry doesn’t take over, but I dont seem to worry nearly as much.
Remember you are already in charge so let that worry go – what good is it really doing?