Simple Tricks That Will Help You Stop Worrying
These tips helped me overcome a vicious cycle of worrying.
“Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.”
— Eckhart Tolle
Worrying seems to be the most visited place for many people if not for all these days. When we are faced with difficulties and challenges, we often visit the depths of our minds and overthink everything. At least, that is what I used to do. And while problem-solving is the best way to deal with a crisis, it’s just a waste of time and energy if we know it can’t actually produce any results.
While most of us are wasting away our lives running on the road of worry, what we fail to understand is that worry leads to dangerous levels of stress and anxiety without actually being helpful. It’s also hard for our brain to produce happy, productive, and creative feelings in such situations.
But even after knowing that worry can only bring damage to us, why do we still do it? Why don’t we stop? Why do we not say enough to this?
Personally, I think worrying is a form of drug we are all addicted to, like junk food — we know it’s bad for our health, but we seldom resist it.
If you’re affected by worry and tension, there are steps you can take to turn off negative thoughts. Chronic worrying is a mental habit that needs to be broken. You can train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more balanced, and fearless perspective.
1. Learn how to channelize your energy
“A day of worrying is more exhausting than a day of work” — John Lubbock
Worrying and problem-solving are two very different things. Know that worrying hardly ever leads to a solution while problem-solving helps you evaluate the situation and probably even come up with a solution.
No matter how much time you spend dwelling on worst-case scenarios, you’re never prepared to deal with them if they really happen to you. There are numerous ways things could go wrong, unfortunately.
Instead, look at the problem at hand and ask yourself a simple question — Is this issue solvable or unsolvable?
A few worries, which seem productive, are those you can take action on right away. For instance, if you are worried about your interview, you can relax your mind and prepare for it. Or if you are worried about how you are going to impress your boss, do all the research the company wants from you and work on what is expected from you.
But simply dwelling over unnecessary and irrational worries will lead you nowhere. People (someone I dearly know) worry about how they are going to react if their kids ever meet with an accident. This person isn’t even married. Can you see how useless and energy-draining this thought process is?
“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow”
— Swedish Proverb
Eliminate the worries you have no control over and let God take care of those affairs. Accept the unsolvable problems, live in uncertainty. Only dwell on things you can change.
2. Practice mindfulness
“We have only now, only this single eternal moment opening and unfolding before us, day and night.”
— Jack Kornfield
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, being aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and being poorly reactive or less-overwhelmed with the changes around us.
A mindful person is responsive rather than reactive. They focus on the present moment. It enables one to distance oneself from their thoughts and feelings without labeling them as good or bad.
You can start slow and small by paying attention to your daily routine — try not to rush through your day, instead, render focus on everything you do. For instance, pay attention while brushing your teeth or while pouring milk into your cereal. Though tiny, these practices can have a major impact.
We know worrying can mentally exhaust you and have real impacts on your body. But before you get anxious about worrying, know that research has shown you can reduce your anxiety and stress with a simple mindfulness practice.
Every day before you start your daily chores set ten minutes for meditation. You can use apps to guide you or watch videos to help you practice mindfulness.
3. Most of the things you worry about never happen
About 85 percent of the things people worry about never happen.
This is very true, I’m speaking from experience. When I look back and think of all the moments I ruined in my life by worrying, I really regret it.
So ask yourself — how many of the things you feared would happen in your life did actually happen? If you are anything like me then the answer will be —a very few. And the very few ones that actually happened were mostly not as painful or terrible as you had expected them to be.
“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of an old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.”
— Winston Churchill
Learn that worries are nothing but monsters in your head. You can destroy them once you wish to. It’s all in your hand. Put an end to the things that you have no control over before they start consuming you negatively.
4. The worst-case scenario
“Worry is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” — Emma Bombeck
This is the best tip I have received, ask yourself — what is the worst that can happen?
When you are faced with difficulties and challenges, walkout from reality and imagine the worst thing that can come out of your problem. When the worst-case scenario hits your mind, follow it up with spending a bit of your time and energy on figuring out what you can do about it if that unlikely thing happens. This strategy for approaching your worries will help you maintain a stable and prepared attitude that will help you fight against the worst.
I can speak from my experience that the worst that can happen is not really as scary as your mind makes you believe it is. So, quit worrying and start embracing the uncertainty.
If anxiety and worry are eating your peace slowly but surely, there is no shame in asking for help. Speak to a close friend or a family member and get the aid you need. At times, you might also require professional help. Seek help and do not let worry consume you.
