“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
Leo Buscaglia
“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.”
Swedish Proverb
Worry.
It all begins with a persistent thought.
That sparks a couple further ideas.
And before you realize it, a mental storm is developing, draining your mental and physical vitality, causing you to think irrationally.
Your old friend is back and causing mayhem inside.
I am also familiar with it and the significant detrimental consequences it may have on life and happiness.
I’ve researched a number of routines that have substantially reduced my worry and made it easier for me to deal with such thoughts when they do arise.
1. The majority of what we worry about never occur.
I love this quote by Winston Churchill:
“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.”
In my personal life, I’ve discovered that to be absolutely accurate.
Therefore, as concerns start to surface, ask yourself these questions.
How many of the events I thought would occur in my life actually did?
The response, if you’re anything like me, will be “very few.” And of the relatively few that did occur, the majority were not as painful or horrific as I had anticipated.
Most worries are simply imaginary monsters that you create in your head.
Regularly asking myself this question and reminding myself of how few of my worries actually materialized makes it simpler and easier for me to remain cool and to put a stop to a worried thought before it snowballs into a major worry.
2. Stay away from irrational anxieties.
It is very simple to get trapped in exaggerated anxieties and disaster scenarios when fears feel hazy in your thoughts and you lack clarity.
So, in a worrying circumstance, get clarity by asking yourself:
What is the worst that could happen, honestly and realistically?
After I’ve provided a response, I spend some time determining what I can do to prevent that really rare event from occurring.
In my experience, the worst case scenario is typically not as terrifying as what my imagination may conjure up when it is running amok with irrational concerns.
3. Don’t try to infer what someone is thinking.
The majority of the time, it doesn’t work very well to try to read someone’s mind. Instead, it’s extremely likely to cause you to imagine an inflated, perhaps terrible scenario.
Therefore, choose for a route that is least likely to cause anxiety and misunderstandings.
Ask what you want to ask when communicating.
By doing this, you’ll encourage communication in your relationship and it’ll probably be happier as a result of fewer needless arguments and negative interactions.
4. If you know you can’t think clearly, tell yourself to stop.
I occasionally become mentally weak when I’m hungry or almost ready to fall asleep while lying in bed. So my mind might more readily begin to race with anxieties.
In the past, this frequently resulted in several minutes of unfun time.
These days, I’m getting better at swiftly recognizing such thoughts and telling myself:
No, no, we are not going to think about this now.
I then follow that up with saying this to myself:
I will think this situation or issue through at a time when I know that my mind will work much better.
Like when I have eaten. Or in the morning when I have gotten my sleep.
It takes some practice to apply this one consistently and effectively but it also makes a big difference in my life.
5. Keep in mind that people don’t give you and what you do as much thought as you might imagine.
They are occupied with worrying about what others may think of them. Additionally, they consider the things that are most important to them, such as their children, pets, partners, jobs, and schools.
Therefore, try to avoid obsessing over what others might think or say if you do anything. Do not let such thoughts drag you down or hold you back in life.
6. Get fit.
Exercise is one of the few activities that consistently and effectively helps people relieve stress from within and leave a worried state of mind.
Additionally, I discover that working out, especially with free weights, helps me feel more focused and determined.
Therefore, even while exercising helps me develop a stronger physique, I do it mostly for the amazing and predictable mental effects.
7. Let your anxiety shine in the open.
One of my favorites is this. mostly because it usually works so nicely.
It becomes much simpler to recognize the circumstance or problem for what it actually is when you bring your “major” worry into the open and discuss it with a close friend or family member.
A few minutes of venting can go a long way, and eventually you might start to question why you were so frightened in the first place.
Sometimes all the other person needs to do is listen as you talk out the matter to yourself.
At other times, it can be really beneficial to let the other person ground you and assist you in coming to a more useful and practical conclusion about the circumstance at hand.
If you don’t currently have anybody you can talk to about your worry, you can write about it to get it off your chest.
You can calm down and gain clarity by simply getting it out of your head and discussing it with yourself on paper or in a journal on your computer, or even in your own blog that is only for your eyes or anonymous.
8. More time should be spent in the present.
It’s simple to start feeding your fears about the future when you spend too much time in your mind replaying the past.
It is also simple to become overwhelmed with catastrophic scenarios when you spend too much time thinking about the future.
Therefore, concentrate on giving the present moment more of your time and attention.
Two of my favorite methods for re-engaging with the present include:
Speed up. Whatever you are doing at the moment, slow down. Slow down as you walk, chat, eat, and ride your bike. You’ll do this to increase your awareness of the current events taking place all around you.
Disconnect then re-connect. If you feel yourself beginning to worry, stop it right then in your head by yelling, “STOP!” After that, take one or two minutes to fully concentrate on what is happening in the current moment. Observe everything with all of your senses. It’s there for you to see, smell, hear, and feel on your skin.
9. Remain focused on the smallest action you can take to advance.
I find it incredibly, extremely beneficial to just get going and start improving whatever is bothering me to get out of the worried mentality.
I then ask myself:
What simple action can I take right away to begin resolving my current situation?
I then concentrate on merely moving ahead a little bit. I then come upon another small step and I also take it.