Worry can invade your life like a freight train barreling down a railroad track. You have no idea where the train is going. You do not really want to jump on board the speeding train. However, something draws you to the open door of the boxcar. There just might be a happy ending at the train’s destination. Yes! There lies the answer! No worries on the train to nowhere.
If you choose to NOT jump on board, the sky might darken.
If you choose to NOT jump on board, your life might fall apart.
If you choose to NOT jump on board, you might become downtrodden with illness.
If you choose to NOT jump on board, you might lose all of your closest friends.
Thank goodness…you will be rid of the albatross riding on your back if you jump on board. That albatross of worry that has begun to take over your life is heavy. Worry takes away your energy. Worry takes away any hint of your determination. Worry takes away the very basis of confidence.
I know what worry can feel like. I am a classic example of a worrier. Sometimes…I am able to keep worry out of reach. Sometimes…worry takes over and causes me to be enveloped by anxious thoughts. My imagination can easily turn into mighty negative thoughts. That is when I slam on the brakes in my mind…anyway…I try to stop the worry. At least, I am aware of the problem and do work at being positive.
Staying positive has been a struggle since I had the stroke on August 8. No kidding. It is difficult to look on the bright side when your health makes a totally unexpected turn.
HOWEVER…WE MUST LOOK FOR THE BRIGHT SIDE…AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Psychology Today recently published the following article on worry…
“6 Ways to Stop Worrying About Things You Can’t Change”
According to Psychology Today, these are the six things that can keep people from wasting their valuable time and energy on worry…
1. Determine what things you can control. Prepare for problems and you can better control your reactions.
2. Focus on your influence. You can influence people and circumstances. You cannot force things to go just the way you want them to go. You need to change your behavior in order to have the most influence. As the article states…you need to be a good role model. You must set healthy boundaries.
3. Identify your fears. What are you afraid will happen? Are you thinking of a catastrophic situation? Do you doubt your ability to cope? The article states that even in the worst-case scenario…you are most likely stronger than you think. Acknowledge this ability.
4. Differentiate between ruminating and problem-solving. Change the channel that you are listening to in you brain. You must understand that your thoughts are not helping your situation! Focus on getting up and starting to do something else. Be more productive.
5. Create a plan to manage your stress. Exercise. Eat healthy. Get enough sleep. Make the time to manage your stress. Find ways to relieve stress such as a hobby or spending time with friends. Eliminate any unhealthy coping skills. Unhealthy…complaining to others and drinking too much.
6. Develop healthy affirmations. The article states two important phrases as reminders to take action or calm down…“I CAN HANDLE IT” and “MAKE IT HAPPEN”. These two thoughts can keep you from wasting time on things that you can’t control!
IN MY OWN HEALTH SITUATION…I NEED TO CALM DOWN! I CAN HANDLE IT…I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN STRONG IN FAR MORE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES!
HEY ME…MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/mighty/
kindergartenknowledge.com 
I have a strong feeling that we would find lots and lots of things to laugh like crazy about! A few years ago…I had a five year old tell me that I was the silliest grown-up kid that he had ever met! I considered his comment a huge compliment!! My assistant told me that I really needed to put him in a long time-out for talking like that! I told her that she and I were in a way different time/thought zone and she didn’t speak to me for two days! She still thinks that I might be bizarre (her word), but we are friends. Therefore, I am fairly close to being the queen of silly!
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I used to have a sign on my fridge that said, “Give your worry to God…He’s up all night anyway.” It made me grin but I also know that is so much easier said than done!
You are still in my prayers Patricia!
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Thank you, Faye! I have been so consumed with worry over this health situation…and I certainly know better than to let it get the best of me. I am just being a “poor pitiful pearl”! I need to find one of those signs. If you happen to find yours…you can send it with Pete!
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Give yourself time to grieve the new normal. Just don’t stay there too long! Wish I lived closer so I could stop by and we could find something to laugh ourselves silly over.
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Don’t worry until there’s something to worry about.
And then … If and when that time comes, then don’t waste your time worrying.
Instead do something to help the situation.
Worrying is just a way of wasting your time when you could be doing something far better which will help the situation you find yourself in.
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You are absolutely right and I am just silly. I really have had a difficult time being sensible about this little occurrence. I usually just brush things off and move happily down the road! I need to find “me” and have a good sit-down talk with her!
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Aw Kindegarten … don’t be hard on yourself. it’s entirely natural that you are concerned and worried about things right now.
But … worry can sometimes hold you in one place, or attached to one spot, and it’s that which can halter the progress.
Because we worry about ‘what next?’ … we begin to kind of mentally sit down in the chair which is the ‘now’. We do that because of the need to feel comfortable with what has happened. We believe that if we do this then we’ll come to terms with what has happened in our life which has brought us to this point.
The problem comes when we begin to feel comfortable in that ‘chair’ which we’ve mentally sat down in.
That comfortable chair is nice. We settle more into it and begin to like and dislike at the same time, that point. That place where things eventually become the new ‘normal’.
But in doing this we prevent ourselves from pushing ourselves onward and upward. From moving forward and getting to the next stage.
This ‘comfortable chair’ situation can happen with anything which is a ‘life thing’. Depression about something can begin to feel ‘normal’ – and people sit down in a chair to make themselves happy, but some people will stay at that point, in that chair, because it’s a familiar place to them, it feels like a friend almost, so they stay there.
All sorts of problems can cause this ‘mental chair’ – from broken bones to broken heart. From weight gain to chocolate addiction.
From Stroke to Seasonal Affective Disorder.
We all do it Kindergarten. At some point or other, for some reason or other, we all sit down in that mental comfy chair and the longer we sit there, the more comfortable we get and so we just stay there, and then it becomes our new familiar way or life.
Worry can do this to a person. That’s why I try to explain to people who are worried or anguished (including my girls) .. Don’t worry until you find out that there’s somethin to worry about. But if you DO find out that there is a reason to worry – then DON’T waste time worrying, for that won’t help anyone or anything. Instead think of ways that you can move forward and help the situation. Improve that thing which is causing the worry. Be it lack of funds to lack of body function. Stop your brain from worrying because it’s a waste of time. Instead start your brain on a positive path of thinking about how you can try to improve that thing. And there are always ways to improve things. ALWAYS.
Sending you heaps of love and squidges, and praying for an Angel, bringing you strength both for body and for mind, in order for you to move forward. Onward and Upward.
(imagine me, with a golden sword in my hand, being the head of the warriors, thrusting my sword out, and yelling that … loudly. “Onward and Upward”. It migh blow your comfy chair to pieces! LOL)
Heaps of love ~ Cobs. xxx ❤ ❤ ❤
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I know what worry would do to me! I like the quotes and your highlight of what psychology Today says about worry. Very relevant post, Pat!
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