Worry In A Good Way

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength." Carrie Ten Bloom

Think about a time when you played the worst-case scenario over and over in your mind. Your spouse or child is late coming home. You worry that they may be in a ditch, in the hospital, or, worst case, dead. Your imagination runs wild with thoughts and ideas about how bad things could be. This happened for us when our daughter began driving and that is when the cell phone, for us, became the greatest invention ever. Become solution-oriented, not problem-oriented.

A recent client shared with me that she used to worry about what would happen if her car broke down on the turnpike. Instead of worrying about it every time she used that highway, she decided to take action and ask the toll booth attendant what would happen and what she should do. Now she feels comfortable when she is driving because she knows what to do.

Another client was going to have elective surgery and began to worry about all sorts of things that could go wrong. We worked on addressing all the worries that she had and played the "What can you do to make sure that this isn't a problem?" game. We covered things like making sure she was comfortable with the surgeon she chose, finding someone to care for her during her recovery, including making sure she had someone to take care of her cat while she was recovering.

Some of our worries are a waste of time and energy. A friend of mine recently became a grandmother. When she first heard that her daughter was going into labor, she began to worry about all the horrible things that could happen to her daughter and the new baby.

Since this situation was out of her control and there was nothing she could do to address any of her worries, she needed to start worrying in a good way. My friend focused on the fact that her daughter had a wonderful doctor, she was in a hospital that was prepared for any situation and the mother and father had prepared themselves for this event as much as possible.

If you find yourself in this type of situation, you need to spend your time worrying in a good way. Focus on everything turning out wonderfully. Imagine the best possible outcome. At some point, in any situation, we have to let go and have faith that everything will turn out for the best. Acknowledge that, if something does occur, you will have the ability to handle it.

“There is no use worrying about things over which you have no control, and if you have control, you can do something about them instead of worrying.”
Stanley C. Allyn

Action Challenge

Worry in a Good Way!

Next time you catch yourself worrying about a person or situation, stop and come up with some solutions that will make you feel empowered. Become proactive. What actions can you take to eliminate your worry?

If there is nothing you can do in the situation, let it go and imagine the best possible outcome. Make a mental list, or better yet, a written list of why the situation can and will turn out fine.

Quotes

“Worry is like a rocking chair — it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Unknown

"One of the nice things about problems is that a good many of them do not exist except in our imaginations." Steve Allen

“Don’t worry about life, you’re not going to survive it anyway.” Unknown