Daily fear can be a major stumbling block to an abundant life. Here’s how to stop worrying and enjoy every moment.
When the tune Don’t Worry Be Happy comes on, you can’t help but smile at the thought of not having to worry because everything will actually be alright. But after the song comes to an end you’re back to thinking about all the nasty fears that could come true in the future. Fear sets in and you become a worrywart once again. But what if the song could actually be your reality? Here’s how to stop worrying and start living.
How To Stop Worrying in 6 Easy Steps
1. Create a worry period.
The best way to learn how to stop worrying is to contain the damage. Set a certain time period aside for worrying. From 5:00-5:30 pm everyday you’re allowed to run through your list of worries. Worry about whatever is on your mind but after your worry period is up, move on. If another worry comes up after your worry period, put it off until your next worry period.
2. Ask yourself: “Is the problem solvable?”
Let’s get realistic here. Is your problem solvable or is it something that just cycles through your head, driving you crazy? Though we like to think that we’re working toward a goal by worrying, in reality, worrying and problem solving are two totally different things. If you’re a chronic worrier then you’ll find that the vast majority of your worries are things you can’t solve–so why waste the energy?
3. Feel your emotions.
Worry is just another way of suppressing your emotions so you don’t have to feel them. But the truth is emotions are not always rational. In fact, they’re messy just like life. Feel your emotions and stop trying to organize them.
4. Accept uncertainty.
Worrying is an attempt to predict the future and prevent unpleasant surprises, but in reality it can do neither. If you want to learn how to stop worry, you’ve got to be willing to ride the waves of life. While goal setting is important, understand that not everything is going to turn out the way you planned. And that’s OK. It’s not what happens to you in life that matters but the way you react to it.
5. What is the evidence that your thought is true?
In the whirl of thoughts that cycle through your mind, how many of your worries could actually happen? Is there a more positive and realistic way that you could look at the situation? Learning how to stop worrying starts by not allowing yourself to get worked up about improbabilities.
6. What would you say to a friend who had your same worry?
We tend to treat ourselves worse than we would treat anyone else. What if your friend were to have the same worry? How would you respond to them? Would you think they were being crazy to even have the thought? Likely, the answer is yes. In the end, our worries and thoughts can be so irrational that if anyone else were thinking this way we would tell them to calm down, take a breath, and get real. Give yourself the same advice.
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