😟 Believe it or Not, There is a "Right" Way to Worry

And it’s something you can start doing right away How to Control and Guide Your Worries [Writing Down Your Worries is a Great Start] Constant worry can be a key contributor to stress and anxiety so this week we’ll dive into some tips and techniques for removing worry. Today, we will concentrate on one simple yet powerful concept you can implement immediately... Worry Time Make Time to Worry As counter intuitive as it sounds, make time to worry. Set aside time in the early or late afternoon to do a “worry dump”. During this period you are free to worry as much as you’d like, however, outside of this time is a worry-free zone. Write Down Your Worries During this time write down your worries. This takes more effort than thinking about them so your worries are more likely to lose their power. Write down any worries or unfinished tasks from the day. You will worry less if you analyze a problem so you can do something about it. Review Your List Take the time to review your worry list and if you’re still worried about certain items on the list then allow yourself to worry but limit it to the allotted time. Challenge Anxious Thoughts Here are some anxious thought patterns: - Coming up with reasons why positive events don’t count. “I did well on the presentation, but that was just dumb luck.” - Making negative interpretations without actual evidence. You act like a mind reader: “I can tell she secretly hates me.” Or a fortune teller: “I just know something terrible is going to happen.” - Expecting the worst-case scenario to happen. “The pilot said we’re in for some turbulence. The plane’s going to crash!” - Believing that the way you feel reflects reality. “I feel like such a fool. Everyone must be laughing at me.” - Focusing on the negatives while filtering out the positives. Noticing the one thing that went wrong, rather than all the things that went right. “I got the last question on the test wrong. I’m an idiot.” How to challenge these thoughts During your worry period, challenge your negative thoughts by asking yourself: - What’s the evidence that the thought is true? That it’s not true? - Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation? - What’s the probability that what I’m scared of will actually happen? If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes? - Is the thought helpful? How will worrying about it help me and how will it hurt me? - What would I say to a friend who had this worry? Is Your Worry Solvable? Productive, solvable worries are those you can take action on right away. For example, if you’re worried about your bills, you could call your creditors to see about flexible payment options. Unproductive, unsolvable worries are those for which there is no corresponding action. “What if I get cancer someday?” or “What if my kid gets into an accident?” If the worry is solvable, start brainstorming Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Try not to get too hung up on finding the perfect solution. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the circumstances or realities beyond your control. After you’ve evaluated your options, make a plan of action. Once you have a plan and start doing something about the problem, you’ll feel much less anxious. If the worry is not solvable, accept the uncertainty If you’re a chronic worrier, the vast majority of your anxious thoughts probably fall in this camp. Worrying is often a way we try to predict what the future has in store-a way to prevent unpleasant surprises and control the outcome. The problem is, it doesn’t work. Thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable. Focusing on worst-case scenarios will only keep you from enjoying the good things you have in the present. To stop worrying, tackle your need for certainty and immediate answers. - Do you tend to predict bad things will happen just because they are uncertain? What is the likelihood they will? - Given the likelihood is very low, is it possible to live with the small chance that something negative may happen. - Ask your friends and family how they cope with uncertainty in specific situations. Could you do the same? - Tune into your emotions. Worrying about uncertainty is often a way to avoid unpleasant emotions. But by tuning into your emotions you can start to accept your feelings, even those that are uncomfortable or don’t make sense. Hopefully, these worry management techniques can help put an end to night time worry that may be impacting your sleep. You Might Like [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Sun Universal Media | 314 E. Dania Beach Blvd. #132 | Dania Beach, FL 33004 | United States [Unsubscribe]( from future marketing messages from Sun Universal Media