Worrying…

Can anybody say that they did not worry about anything at all day, any day?

Maybe infants and little children do not. But everybody else worries about something or the other every day.

It could be a big worry or could be a small worry. But there it is

• Will the food turn out okay today?
• Will I get the bus?
• Will I be able to get back home on time?
• Will my wife notice I had too much to drink?
• What will I wear to that wedding? They have seen all my dresses!

Silly things? But they worry us endlessly

On the other hand, there are really worrisome things

• How will I repay this unexpected loan I had to take?
• Will I get through this competitive exam this time at least?
• This time round will I be considered for the promotion?
• Marrying this stranger! Will he be a good guy?
• Will I get a boy or a girl in this pregnancy? (In India this is a major worry!!!)

Worrying is human nature and it has its uses

• helps us prepare for the worst. As we worry, it helps us with mental preparation to deal with the bad news
• helps us to prepare for the best too, if we are worried we take all precautions to do our best
• keeps us alert and wakeful. Remember studying for examinations? We don’t dose off when studying for a difficult examination
• helps in taking advance precautions; starting early, carrying food and water along, keeping more than required money, asking and keeping ready phone numbers of relevant people, noting down directions are all such acts because we worry at lot
• it can keep us safe especially when we are out on our own we need to worry about safety; watching the road, telling someone where we are going, giving time of arrival at a place, being alert in the journey
• Helps save money and other resources

What about those who live most happily without a thought as they claim. They too have some worries, but are likely to be blasé most often. We do have a lot of those among us!

• Get into scrapes often
• Miss deadlines, opportunities
• End up producing substandard work
• Need help from others more often
• Don’t even realise when they have lost a battle!
• Are frequently in uncomfortable situations

What to do about constant worries?

• Note down on a piece of paper what worries you each day? Then analyse whether it was worth worrying about; consciously banish it if it is not worth it
• If the worry is about something simple but important, work on it immediately. Search for that book, make that correction in the work you are doing, seek advice from somebody
• Divert your mind; do something that pleases you
• If it still persists, ask yourself one single question. “what is the worst thing that can happen?” The answer to that will surely stop your mind from worrying any further
• Check to see if you CAN do anything about it, if you can’t, stop that thought right there. If you can, go right ahead and work on it
• Talk to somebody who is likely to listen and not talk back or become judgmental; sure every one of us such an acquaintance. It relieves the mind from the worry.
• Remember, worries are reminders of what life can hand out to us, it’s a signal that helps prepare us for the worst.

So don’t worry too much about worrying

Enough said….by the way, a dear friend just now said that most of the things we worry about never happen… Hope so.