Is worry consuming your life?
I didn’t think I worried much until I read this blog post in which the author tracked how often he worried over the course of a day. Reading his post I realized I worry more than I knew! (A lot more, in fact.)
When I worry it’s usually about a situation out of my control. I worry about the outcome. Worry is my mind’s way of trying to get control of the situation, yet worry never results in controlling life. Worry only turns my attention away from living a great life! Life’s too short to worry!
I’m challenging myself to worry less and enjoy life more. I hope you’ll join me on this challenge! Here’s how I am going to worry less:
Take Notice
The first step in changing any habit is being aware of when you’re doing it. As I create a worry less life, I will be mindful of my thoughts and note when I worry. It’s important not to judge myself for worrying- just to observe that it’s happening.
Is It Important?
When I notice myself worrying, I can ask myself, “how important is it really?” to determine if the concern truly needs my attention. Many of life’s problems are really not that important- certainly not important enough that it will concern me next week, next month, or next year. If it’s not important I can let it go.
What’s the best that could happen?
When I worry about big stuff I am usually positing the worst case scenario. When I choose to focus on a positive outcome over a negative outcome I relieve some of my worry and approach problems with a proactive and positive mindset.
What are my choices?
Not only do I often assume a worst case scenario, sometimes I trick myself into believing I’m stuck with whatever happens. In this situation I find it helpful to remind myself that I have choices. I choose how I act and respond. I can choose to take productive action, to do nothing, to temporarily set the problem aside and do something nice for myself, to talk it over with a trusted friend or mentor- the possibilities are endless!
Photo courtesy of ramyo
Act with intention
Instead of reacting to life I can act with intention. When I act with intention I am thoughtful about my behavior and how I can positively affect my life. I can’t control the result but I do control my actions. The best way to live a great life is not to try to force the results I want but simply act with good intention!
Learn from my mistakes
Sometimes I worry about making mistakes, even though I know mistakes are a-okay! One way to combat worry is to turn my attention from the mistake to making the best of my mistake. Life is all about learning! Take that, worry!
Reboot my day
If worry is really getting me down, I can reboot my day at any time. Taking a break is a great way to step away from the situation and come back with a renewed perspective. Some days I can’t quite seem to shake off stress and worry and that’s okay- tomorrow’s a new day!
I love your comments! What do you worry about most- the past, present ,or future? Are you going to join me in my challenge to worry less and enjoy more?
If you enjoyed this post, check out my book, Beautiful Badass: How to Believe in Yourself Against the Odds!