What to Do With Worry?
What to Do With Worry?
It seems like it doesn’t go away—continual spinning in your mind about every possible fear that could happen, every worst-case scenario. You have probably been told just to stop thinking about it, but you can’t. Your body then becomes restless and keyed up. This combination of experiences makes it difficult to make clear choices, be present for others, and function in contentment throughout your day.
“Worry is like a rocking chair; it gets you moving but gets you nowhere.”
It is a common belief that if we worry, it will do something. Or if we don’t worry, something terrible will happen. If you have grown up worrying, you have believed it is just part of you. The truth is that worry causes more harm than good for yourself. Worry has continued because you may not have yet learned how to cope with the worry you are experiencing. Part of life and development is to learn how to care for ourselves in the areas that may be causing us harm. Worry exists as a way to self-protect ourselves from the fear we face. It needs your help to be acknowledged and supported.
Worry causes you to miss the enjoyment of the present by staying focused on the “should of’s” of the past and “what ifs” of the future. Worry allows fear to take over your mind, body, and day. It robs you of the lessons you need to learn from the past and present to prepare for the future. Yes, the fear you are worried about will help you when you face and work through it. Working through your worry will allow you to gain self-understanding, make clear, decisive choices, connect yourself to others, and develop personal strength and faith. Coping with worry needs to be made active instead of inactive. Involved in ways that help produce understanding and clarity to the underlying fear you are facing.
Three steps to cope with anxiety
Get it out of your head and down on paper. This allows your worry to get off the metal loop it is stuck on. This allows you to focus instead of feeling out of control with your thoughts. So take a moment to sit down and write down all your worries related to that moment. You will be surprised how relieved you feel.
Challenge it with the truth. Your worry needs to be challenged with practical, realist truth—no fluff, just things you do believe.
Worry-What if I fail at getting the promotion
Truth--If I don’t try, I won’t know. I have worked hard this far and have the skills to start the next steps of my career.
Give your worry a plan. Is there anything that would help you face your fear? If you are fearful about a job interview, can you prepare for it? If you are worried about all you have to do, can you make a list and prioritize them?
You can feel confident in the face of your worry. Worry is just letting you know that you fear something and that it needs your help coping with it. By taking some steps next, you can feel security, clarity, and confidence. If you need further support, reach out today!