The 1 Simple Tool You Need to Know to Overcome Anxious Thoughts

Anxious thoughts do not have to rule your life.

Photo by Wei Ding on Unsplash

Anxiety. It affects all of us. Even psychologists. In this article, we will discuss one particular tool that is known to be the most helpful amongst psychology graduates. I could list several ways to reduce stress but I know you want something easy and maintainable. Presenting, the worry journal.

This worry journal will do wonders on it’s own. However, we know to maintain a happy mind there are a range of things we should be doing. Eating well. Exercise. Limiting stress. Meditation. The list goes on. The skill of journaling, however, takes almost no time, money, motivation or encouragement. It is one tool that I believe, everyone should be using on a daily basis.

Yes, I know you have heard of journaling before but it’s not the journal itself that is important. It is how you use it. Journaling is often perceived to be an activity people should do when they wake up or when they go to sleep but people still struggle with it. Why is that? Is it because you don’t know what to journal about? You don’t have time to journal? Or you are always interrupted when you journal? Take a look below at how I suggest to overcome these hurdles.

7 simple steps to worry journaling

This method will eradicate all the obstacles and make keeping a worry journal simple. All you need to do is follow the steps below;

1. Buy a small journal with blank pages you can carry around with you everywhere. The importance here is to make it easily accessible — think pocket size.
2. Throughout your day write any and all worrisome or anxious thoughts you have. Then close the book immediately. This journal is not to write out and solve the issue. Instead, it is to write the problem in the notebook and postpone the worrisome thought to later. Yes, it sounds strange but this is when trusting the process is required.
3. If you find yourself stuck on an anxious thought that seems to be train wrecking and unravelling out of control — you need to write it in your book. Once it is written down consider it dealt with and postpone it. If it pops up again, write it in your book, again.
4. Do not get upset with yourself if these anxious thoughts continue. The idea of the book is not to stop anxious thoughts from occurring but instead to limit the power it has over your day.
5. Set aside a short time block in your day (for example; 5–10 minutes) to go through your journal for that day and think through the worrisome thoughts. Consider allocating this time to when you are completing a mundane daily task like, washing the dishes, folding laundry or on your commute home from work.
6. During this time you may notice some worrisome thoughts you had over the day are no longer applicable, that is great! Do not spend time thinking about them and instead move on to the next point(s).
7. When this allotted time has ended it is vital to close the book and carry on with your day. If further anxious thoughts enter your mind then note them down, ready for tomorrow’s allotted time.

These 7 steps will become easier as the weeks go by. At first, you may experience your worrisome thoughts being out of control. That is okay. It is part of the process. Try not to let it upset you or derail your progress. Instead try to centre your thoughts.

In a few months time you will realise, you do have control over your thoughts. You do have the ability to complete tasks without the debilitating anxieties from stopping you. When you realise you have the power over your thoughts, you will see they are just that, thoughts.

Keeping the journal will become like second nature. Consider it an extension of your mind. Much like your phone, this book will be where you store unwanted thoughts. Storing the thoughts in this book instead of your mind will open up endless possibilities. People often express anxiety as being paralysing. Imagine a world for yourself where you do not have to hold onto these negative thoughts. Where you can simply postpone them for later and be more productive with your here and now.

It is important to remember, worrisome thoughts will always occur. The aim of the game here, is not to stop them completely. Instead, we are endeavouring to control the power these thoughts have on you. As you regain this power, you will feel freer in your everyday life.

Go out today and buy a pocket size journal. Take charge of your thoughts.