How to worry less
“How something ends up never depends on how much you worry about it”
-Anonymous
If you are like myself, someone who goes through phases of excessive worrying, I highly recommend that you take these words to heart.
We all worry now and then and worrying in it’s pure sense simply means that we care a lot about a situation or the outcome of a situation. Hence worrying now and then isn’t really a problem, however when the obsessive aspect of worrying comes in it can really disrupt our quality of life, peace of mind and well being.
I believe that most people could do with worrying a bit less and let’s face it worrying is one of the least constructive ways we can spend our time, no one has ever achieved anything by worrying or prevented something from happening by worrying all night.
At this point in my life, I worry a lot less and because of that have more time and energy to shift my focus onto more constructive things and live an overall happier life.
I would like to share a few things which have helped me and still help me to worry less on a daily basis.
1.Taking Action
Worrying can cost you a lot of time in which you could possibly take action in regards to the situation you are worried about. Even doing one small thing to improve the situation which has you worried will make you feel better about it. If you feel powerless and think there aren’t any actions which can be taken, speak to a friend and see if they have any ideas you haven't thought of before, perhaps you can even brainstorm solutions together.
2.Letting go of control
Once you have truly done everything you can in a situation you worry about ( And be honest with yourself if you have or haven’t) you need to let go of it because no matter how many times you replay scenarios in your head and worry about it the outcome will never change. Accept that you have no control and that’s ok. Trust that everything will unfold the way it needs to and that you can fully let go of the outcome since you have done everything in your power to better the situation.
3.Write down your worries
This one personally really helps me. Writing down what you are worried about can help you put things into perspective and see things for what they really are. Some of your worries may suddenly sound ridiculous to you once you see them on paper. You will be able to differentiate between what worries are realistic and reasonable and which ones are hyped up by fear and imagination rather than being based in reality.This will bring you clarity, help you with coping and finding practical solutions.
4.Stay present
Pretty much everything we worry about is in the future. Take a moment to come back to the present. What matters in the now? What matters today? Are my worries relevant to the present moment or am I worried about things happening next week? Next month, next year? It can really help to take a step back and live life one day at a time. It's important to mention that by “living in the present” and “not worrying” I don’t mean to say that you shouldn’t plan your future. I believe you should always plan and prepare for the best possible outcome of any situation and put in the work without putting in the worry. Always do your best while staying in the present and knowing that tomorrow will always be uncertain and the only thing which truly matters is the moment and the present.
5.Exercise
Exercise really helps to get you “out of your mind” and “into your body”. Going for a quick run or breaking out into a little dance session in your living room truly works wonders in calming your mind and helping your worries melt away. Exercise will reward your brain with feel-good chemicals such as endorphins which will put you in an overall good mood and will also help with reducing stress and worry.
I hope some of these tips are useful to you and will help you with leading a more worry-free life. Our time here on this earth simply is too short to spend it worrying away. So enjoy every moment, stay in the present and worry less.
