Why do we worry?
Why do we bother engaging in thoughts that ultimately harm us and detract from positive living? The fact is that worrying is unavoidable, but it’s not impossible to manage. Here is a possible solution to your worrying problems that might help you start removing this harsh habit from your lifestyle.
Set a time aside every day to worry. Really. Write down everything that is worrying you, and I mean everything. They can range from serious issues that affect the world to trivial things like what you want to do this weekend. Write down each worry and then go over your list.
Going through the list, think on each of these things that worries you. If there is a solution to the worry on your list, then write that down. Let’s say one of your worries is that you’re not sure whether or not you’ll have the money to pay for your car and your mortgage this year. At that point, write down any possible solutions to this problem, such as taking on a part-time job or asking a loved one for help. If you can’t find a solution that day, then disengage from this worry and focus on the ones that you can solve.
The point isn’t to be ignorant towards your troubles. This practice is meant to prevent you from obsessing on one worry, especially one that doesn’t have a present solution. The negative physical effects of worry, which can lead to illnesses like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, are a result of a worrisome thought being heavily repeated in your mind. You can prevent this by engaging in different thoughts and shifting your focus whenever appropriate.
So, how do we stop worrying?
In a way, we can’t stop worrying completely. What we can do, however, is make a choice between “good” and “bad” worry. Good worry is composed of those thoughts that do have answers and solutions that will ease the anxiety of that worry. Bad worry is characteristic of those thoughts that increase your anxiety and essentially paralyze you. Once you start to differentiating between the two, you will start making real progress towards a healthy, productive mind.
You may also want to read: 3 Tips to Reduce Anxiety
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