The human mind can be a dangerous thing. It can run away with our time, energy, and ability to be fully present in the real world. One of it’s favorite limiting tools is worry.
Fear also loves worry as it can be used to keep us busy and stuck so we don’t take chances or move out of our comfort zone.
If you were able to calculate how much of your life energy was actually wasted on imagining a scary future you would probably be shocked enough to take action and stop letting it control your life. But, how?
Next time you find worry crowding your mind, ask yourself these simple questions:
- Will any children, puppies, or kittens die because of this?
- Will it matter a week, month, or year from now?
- What are the facts as of right now?
- How much of this is my mind creating a negative fantasy?
- What have I worried about in the past and how did it turn out?
- How does the worry make me feel?
- What would happen if I let go of this and chose a more empowered, positive perspective?
You will likely realize that marinating in your future horror stories does not serve you and be ready to focus on something more positive. It’s a simple choice that you get to make with each and every thought. And, if you keep choosing the thoughts that make you feel good, they will eventually become your new normal.
Related Posts:
25 Ways to Stay Positive in Trying Times
3 Steps for Letting Go of Guilt and Regret
12 Morning Practices that Will Start Your Day Off Right
If you would like the support of a professional coach in letting go of worry and other negative thought patterns that impact how you feel and operate in the world, I would love to talk to you. You can contact me here.
I REALLY needed this today. I think wiping out worry is a huge way to take control of your life.
Absolutely, I am glad this post came to you at the right time and hope that you feel more peaceful soon.
This is a great post. I’m a worrier and there are a few things that are going on in my life at the moment that are causing me to worry and I will definitely be asking myself these questions!
Using these questions is a great start and if you continue to practice this the process will become a simple habit that happens almost automatically. Good luck, Em.
This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I have had the worst worry and stress lately, making my self physically ill. I am going to print these questions and hang them in my office, as a great reminder that my worry is bigger than I am and I need to let it go. Thank you so much
Such great questions to help put perspective on things especially…What would happen if I let go of this and chose a more empowered, positive perspective? I think this question is very powerful.
Thank you. I do too, especially when it follows – How does worrying about this make me feel? You get to compare the miserable worrying present vs. the empowered possibilities and most of us would choose what feels better.
Good questions to process through. Would make great discussion with a trusted friend, not sure I would have the ability to fully embrace the truth of all these questions on my own.
It can be challenging on your own. That’s what I do, but my clients get the benefit of my supporting them through it.
Great advice. I especially like the questions to ask yourself when worrying about something. I find myself worrying about way too much!
Those are the questions that have worked best for my clients and I. Hope they help you too.
Worrying and anxiety are exhausting and depleting. It’s such an upward battle to manage excessive worry and rationalize what is truly beneficial and what is harmful. Thanks for sharing.
They sure can be, Jenny. I hope you try these questions and can feel more peacefully focused on the present moments in your life.
So true! It’s so easy to slip into a fabricated realm of “what might happen”, creating a never ending cycle of worry and a negative fantasy as you pointed out! Great questions to bring the focus back to what really matters……it’s funny, I often think about silly stuff I used to worry about and laugh about it now! Thanks for sharing!
It’s all usually silly in the end. The trick is to not spend your energy on it.
This is so helpful…I can be a worrier. Especially when it comes to the “big” life stuff (house, job, kids, etc). Your questions will be so useful to help put things in perspective.
Glad to help, Hayley. You can be a worrier, but you can also be so much more.
Great questions to ask myself. Thank you for the reminder to live the best life I can.
You are welcome, Jen.
I ask myself similar questions when I’m in the middle of a freak out, it helps a lot. Still, I will take any advice I can get! Thank you for writing this.
You are welcome. I need the reminders too.
These are such powerful words! My favorite question was: “Will it matter a week, month, or year from now?” it puts *everything* in perspective. Thank you, I really needed this ♥
That is one of my favorites too!