Jul 12, 2021
Why We Worry and How to Overcome it?
Plus — 6 Simple Ways to Overcome Your Worries
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” ~ Corrie ten Boom
Problems can make you wish you weren’t born. Repeated tragedies can make you wish you never existed; money worries can get you sick of life already. Life is full of ups and downs, they say, but when the downs seem to be non-stop, you tend to worry. Take the covid-19 pandemic for example and how it has shaken all of us. You just sit there, day in, day out and worry about your problems. You would feel like nothing matters anymore. But the truth is, something still does — YOU. You still matter because you are still alive. The things you do and think matter. Worries will definitely not solve your problem.
The deep feeling of unease and fear that courses through our body, as we sit predicting the fearful outcomes the future will bring us, is what intense worrying feels like. It’s a very nauseating and physically uncomfortable state of being, and yet most of us live the majority of our waking hours in this manner.
Why We Worry and How to Overcome it?
Most of us worry without any conscious control, almost on auto mode. If we look at the bare facts, these are reasons why we worry:
- Because we are never certain about what our future will bring us.
- Worrying almost becomes a means of keeping the mind occupied while it waits for the future to arrive.
- When we find that we are not in a position to take any concrete action, we allow ourselves to worry out of habit.
- Our mind is conditioned to keep doing something or other, it can never rest or relax, so if it can do nothing about a situation it will just worry about it.
The bottom line is that we worry when we are not sure of what our future will bring us. People who worry a lot are in the habit of dreaming up a fearful future. Then they hold on to this negative future projection and worry about it.
Should you need to overcome your worries and move on to a more happier and more positive mindset, be sure to use the following simple tips:
6 Simple Ways to Overcome Your Worries
1. Talk Your Worries Out
A Problem shared is a problem half-solved; so you can share your burden with someone you trust. But I do understand that sometimes the problems seem so big, you might feel you can’t risk telling anyone; still, share it with your Divine Creator. You can’t continue to carry the burden all by yourself. It’s way too heavy, so let someone help relieve it. Let someone help your mind be at peace.
2. Favorite Your Worries Out
What do you love to do most? — listening to the radio? Reading? Writing? Watching TV? — in short, anything that makes you be at ease is worth doing in your sad moments. Worries won’t help but your favorites can help you lighten your mood and give your mind the much needed rest from all that worry.
3. Walk Your Worries Out
A certain saying goes this way: An idle mind is a devil’s den. It’s quite obvious the reason you worry is because you’ve grown idle; it’s high time you put your thoughts into something else. At work you can try to concentrate on work, and on weekends you need not work yourself to death all in the name of getting over worries — you can stroll out. Take in the natural sunshine and beautiful energy from the natural world around you. I personally love to watch the butterflies flutter about as I go for my strolls. Get immersed in that beauty… worries will fade away into that natural stroll.
4. Laugh Your Worries Out
Who is your favorite comedian? I mean the one that make you laugh to the extent you cry. Maybe that person isn’t a comedian after all. Its your friend who was designed for the sake of your laughter. Do you know anyone of such? — that makes you feel like the most important person in the world when they are around you. Their presence means a lot to you so you can do yourself a favor and go stick to them. The feel good factor will rub off on you eventually.
5. Visit a Hospital
When you were young, if not now, did you feel awkward every time your parents came up with the idea of visiting a hospital? — why? — because you get to see so many people worry? — because you will get to see a lot of people suffering in pain? — because you get to see many people crying for their loved sick ones? Yeah, I know the feeling. Checking out a busy hospital can help you skip your worries. You will get to see real bigger problems; only then will you realize that tragedies happen and that your problem is far, far smaller than many of the tragedies happening in that Emergency room. It brings back perspective within. It helps us understand, that problems are a part of life. How we handle them is what makes us, or breaks us.
6. Help Someone Out
If you want to be happy forever, see to that others are happy too. It sounds straight and simple but many still seem to miss that point; perhaps they are being adamant. If you want your problems to be solved, help others solve theirs. There is a sense a satisfaction that comes from helping another human being…that can’t be matched. Your worries in that moment of satisfaction seem so, so small.
In a nutshell, give up the control which you don’t really have and you will stop worrying. If you try to stop worrying, your mind will worry more, but if you just understand the truth of life deeply then the mind just relaxes and lets life be.
The secret to stop worrying, is to do what you can and leave the rest to The Divine.
At a deeper level you realize that the “I” that is so terrified of what life will bring about does not really exist as anything other than a thought or idea. Of course when you do realize this you also become enlightened and are worry free.
***Do you have any special ways in which you overcome your worries? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to learn from you.***
With Love,
Zeenat.
Zeenat Merchant Syal is a Practicing Counseling Psychologist & Spiritual Counselor. She writes on Healing the Mind, Heart & Soul through Positivity on Positive Provocations & offers Online Counseling there too.
