Is it worth WORRYING about?
A day of worrying is more exhausting than a day of work.
John Lubbock
I’ve had lots of worries in my life, most of which never happened. Mark Twain
Worrying will never change the outcome.
What are some of the physical effects of worrying?
Well, there’s a long list but here are some of them…Difficulty swallowing, Dizziness, Dry mouth,
Fast heartbeat, Fatigue, Headaches, Inability to concentrate, Irritability, Dis
Nausea, Muscle tension, Irritability, Elevated cortisol levels(the stress hormone).
When worrying takes over your life, or feels as if does, it’s time to take notice and begin to do something about it. Eliminating all worrying isn’t a possibility. In fact,
a little worry might be necessary in motivating you to study for a test, prepare for an important project, class or speech, etc. It’s important to strike a balance of worry
and ease, focusing more on the ease aspect of life.
Practicing mindfulness will help keep things in perspective and allow you to look for the good things in situations instead of focusing on the “what if” bad possibilities.
What do you do to practice mindfulness thinking? Take a few minutes, daily, to relax and focus on your breathing. Try taking deep breaths, filling your lungs and
gently allowing the air to escape through your mouth. Focus on your breath and be grateful for each breath as you slowly breathe in and out. Pay attention to your
thoughts but don’t “engage” them…focus on your breathing and relaxing. This exercise is for YOU and YOU are worthy of these moments of mindfulness. You
might want to keep a notepad near and write down thoughts that are/would cause worry. Put them on hold until you have the time to ponder what a plausible solution
might be. When you drop everything and address the issue it puts a lot of pressure on you and your brain! Try addressing the issue when you actually have a little time
to consider solutions, with a clear mind.
Think about what YOU have control over and what YOU don’t. If needed, make a list of what you CAN control and those you CAN’T control. Stop worrying about
the CAN’T list and think (not worry) of what you are able to do to help cancel out the CAN list. Remember, most things don’t need to be resolved INSTANTLY!
The important thing is to control your worries and not allow them to take control of your life. No wonder worry causes so many health problems!