“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” ~ Leo F. Buscaglia
Stress seems to be a fact of modern life. If we analyze stress, a large proportion of it is created by worry. Worry that we will be late, will not get finished on time, will not do well. Add to this the worry we have about others: will they be safe, happy, make good choices. Then there is the worry about the world: the wars, the economy, global warming, and pandemics.
It is no wonder we are stressed ! The reality is, however, that most of the things we worry about will not come to pass. Most of our worries are based on “what if?” thinking. We imagine negative outcomes, and then fret about how we will survive them.
Generally all is okay in the present moment, but we do not notice that because we are too busy thinking about the future. How many present moments, days even, slip out of our grasp because of our negative imaginings?
A real worrier can even steal peaceful moments from right under the nose of another by obsessing about possibilities, and somehow expecting the other to make it all better. No matter what reassurances are offered, the worrier is unlikely to be satisfied. Further, a parent who is a worrier can create the worry habit in his or her children.
I could get worried about all these worriers. There is a better plan. Worrying is only useful if we see a potential problem and take action to avoid it. If we worry about a small child getting into things, we put safety latches on doors and cupboards. If we worry about someone stealing our car, then we lock it. If we worry that finances are running low, we cut back on spending. We deal with it, and stop worrying.
The insidious kind of worrying has no useful purpose and accomplishes nothing, other than making us upset and robbing us of the joy of the present moment. We need to train ourselves to STOP! when we find ourselves worrying about things over which we have no control. It is hard to break the worry habit, but the freedom and peace that are gained make it well worth the effort.
Copyright © Gwen Randall-Young, All Rights Reserved. Contact us if you would like permission to reprint.
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