It has become common, acceptable and even comforting to worry. Most people don’t truly enjoy the uneasy or panicky feeling of worry, but its incessant use continues. It may be that we think worrying about someone shows love or that the behavior is so ingrained in our minds that we feel we cannot stop it. Our society reinforces the behavior by making it socially acceptable to worry and ask others if they are worried.
Worrying can be minimized or eliminated. Here are a few suggestions to banish this hurtful emotion from taking over:
• Acknowledge the behavior. Become aware of how much you are worrying. Notice what this pattern is doing to your mental and emotional space.
• Learn and realize the emotion of worry. Worrying is generally an unproductive thought process. It can often bring more issues to your awareness.
• Begin the mental change process. Change the word worry to concern. For example you can change “I am worried about my child’s progress in school” to “I am concerned about my child’s progress in school.”
• Act on the new thought process. Learn to have faith that you can deal with any situation that arises in your future. Be mindful of your current behaviors. Realize that there is a cause and effect to your thoughts, words and actions.
• Move into the deeper space of intention. Worry projects a negative outcome. Intention is proactive. It projects a positive outcome. Situations won’t always turn out exactly how you planned, but your life will be more calm and peaceful without excessive worry.
Learning to let go of worry brings peace to your day. It gives you more energy for enjoyable moments and a more fulfilling life.
