Sometimes when we start thinking about our problems for too long, we can think ourselves into a pit.
We can often make our problems seem even worse for ourselves, and cause more stress in our life, by fixating on what is going wrong in our life or in the world, and imaging all sorts of hypothetical scenarios of that which might be coming our way.
Is there a choice?
When external stresses come against us, we often allow ourselves to be disturbed. Many of us aren't used to being told that we can choose our thoughts, rather than allowing our thoughts and feelings to choose us.
In other words, we can discard the thoughts that weaken us and try to replace them with what is going to uplift us and provide us inner strength.
We aren't given an unlimited amount of time in life and it's a waste to spend that time dwelling in worry because obsessing over our problems is only going to keep us from enjoying our life at the end of the day. Sure we might have or see a current problem right now, but that doesn't mean that we cannot still enjoy our life while we are trying to sort out whatever might go wrong.
The more that we think about our problems, the more pain that we might cause ourselves in the end.
But we can choose to be full of hope instead, rather than being full of worry, fear, and anxiety. And when we are full of hope rather than worry, then it will likely help us to arrive at a solution much faster.
Worrying is often only going to waste our time and won't be able to produce any solution to the problem. Worrying is allowing ourselves to dwell on our troubles, rather than being thankful for what we still might have, thinking about something else that might bring us peace or joy, or focusing on solutions to our problems.
It can sure be entertaining at times to jump into the pool of worry and swim around for a few hours, but to what end? Dwelling on our troubles and escalating the fear in our mind isn't the best approach to take because it diminishes our quality of life; it hinders us.
We can't be enjoying our life when we are busy worrying about our problems or worrying about something that might not ever happen.
Most often the things that we worry over and fear are going to be out of our control and so there is even more reason not to waste our time obsessing over the issue. And it's comforting to know that there are many people out there who similarly struggle with fear, anxiety, and worry etc, nobody is perfect. Millions of us worry about our health, our relationships, our jobs, and so on. But isn't it great to know that we have a choice and that we can choose to funnel our energy into thinking destructive thoughts that diminish our life, or we can disregard the worry and what brings us down; opting to think uplifting and powerful thoughts instead.
Pics:
via peanutbutterfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/worry.jpg
Imgur via imgur.com/gallery/BQEOQqP
Tumblr via tumblr.com/search/quotes%20about%20overthinking
Dane Cook via media.tenor.com/images/71595bf68e0ce9dcd3ca8749aa889c79/tenor.gif
Sources:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/10/12/survey-top-10-things-americans-fear-most/91934874/
https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2016/11/daily-chart-17
https://www.psychologicalhealthcare.com.au/blog/youre-not-alone-top-things-people-worry-most-about/
Related Posts:
A Fear Of Hard Times
https://steemit.com/writing/@doitvoluntarily/a-fear-of-hard-times
Don't Be Afraid of Failure
https://steemit.com/writing/@doitvoluntarily/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure
Starting On Something New
https://steemit.com/writing/@doitvoluntarily/starting-on-something-new
The crazy part is all those hypothetical scenarios we conjure up rarely ever come to fruition.
Best thing one do is always ask "what if" to whatever it is that worries them or they fear. What if I do XYZ, what if that ABC happens from it, what if and on and on until you realize the what if isn't the end of your world.
i used to worry about everything then realised that everything I worried about was usually nothing or sorted in time :)
Worrying is, for the most part, a waste of time... mostly we worry about things in the past we have no capacity to change, or a future which we have no control over. As a spiritual teacher of mine pointed out a LONG time ago:
"Our THOUGHTS about a thing tend to be far worse and far scarier than the thing, itself."
Worrying doesn't solve any problem.. Your best option is to stand up and look for a solution to your problems. The more you worry, the worse your situation gets.
you couldn't be more right about this. worry is a total waste of time if you ask me.
thanks sharing
As l logged into my steemit account this morning ,my eyes got glued on this article entitled "Rescue Yourself From Worry" so l clicked on it and read through it and l want to assure you that have been amused by the facts that your have written down.Before l briefly discuss with you about the same topic,allow me say this "@doitvoluntarily ,thank you very much for taking your time to come up with this significant article that l believe is change many lives out there "
Am guy who was once captured by thoughts and worries ,l could worry about my relationship,my finical status,academics and many others which would end up leading to relationship destruction,sleepless nights,loss of weight due to lack of appetite and many others .As a way of finding a solution to this nightmare that was eating me up,l talked to a friend who gave me these 3 solutions; 1.Don't think about problems which is exactly similar to what you have said.2. Interact with friends face to face discuss with them about different subjects and the last one was Take part in sports so as to free up your mind and keep your body fit
Choose hope over fear and worry ! As hard as it may be , try to think and be positive which will bring more positivity and energy into your life ! Hope gives us the light at the end of the tunnel ! Anything is possible , just never give up ! Another great post my friend , I loved your last paragraph ! Upped and resteemed !!💕💕💕✌👍
We become our own dead horse. Gotta build Walden in our minds. Good post, was reading something similar recently. Thanks for making me think this again.
thank you sir!
Wow, you write amazing posts man. Really liked your way of writing, its always good reading your articles @doitvoluntarily.
Thank you its just what I needed to read today🌺
Absolutely right. Love yourself. and take time for yourself.
I totally found myself in this article and I'm pretty sure I need to read the rest of the series as well... Unfortunately stressful people can't really control these feelings so yes, they end up harming themselves... Lately, I figured out that meditation actually works so I'm trying that! :D
that is a big mistake that takes some time getting over, the wrong belief that we cannot control our thoughts, and i think it's something that gets easier with practice :)
Indeed! That's what I learned since I started meditating - the brain/mind just like the body needs to be trained so yes, the more we practice the more we can channel it to control our thoughts! Still working on it though ;)
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
I really enjoyed this article since I stress about a few different things in my life from time to time. It is true that when I focus on other people I can start to enjoy life more and isn't that interesting? Upvoted and resteemed this article!
nice it's useful.
we can choose to funnel our energy into thinking destructive thoughts that diminish our life, or we can disregard the worry and what brings us down; opting to think uplifting and powerful thoughts instead.
Helllo @doitvoluntarily, offf course no doubt that every word in your article is right. great and valuable post you shared with us. your advises and duggessions are worth every person should follow u. i think smile and positive thinking is best way to overcome every type of worry and difficulty. appreciated you, keep it up . thanks
True, worrying is not the solution but an awareness.
Once there is a worry, think of a way to get rid of it. The sooner the better :) Even if it is taking time, like years but at least you know that you had started to deal with the problem.Worrying only ads stress and muck to the situation. I think of the CODA 12 steps which mirror AA . Melody Beatie material. Realizing you are powerless, to let go and give it up to your higher power certainly helps. Worrying does not add in offering solutions to the concern. God takes care of the little sparrow ...how much more will he take care of us? Thanks for sharing.
Worrying only brings us down and if we look at the positives in every negative , we would live a healthier life
Congratulations it's beautiful @doitvoluntarily . Must feel great - that is a lot of work!
I believe worrying sometimes is very important. It makes you realize how important something is to you. At the same time, it is equally important to get to the shore cuz you can't simply drown can you? I agree with almost every part of your post.
I met a friend Yesterday and it was her birthday. She was worried and anxious as she isn't having the best time with her family these days. She badly wants to move out. Unfortunately she can't at the moment provided the circumstances i.e. her being jobless and etc. I suggested her to stop worrying about that and start working on the pending tasks she had. She is yet to get her documents attested (which are required to submit for any scholarships she wants to avail to go abroad), get done with her thesis which is due later this month and another personal matter which I believe matter more to her than worrying about the trouble she was having with her family.
It went fine and the last drink we both had was a pleasant one :)
Great !
Motivating one !!
Thank you so much for sharing !!!
Hello my dear friend. You touched on a very important topic for everyone (I think so). Including for me. Yesterday I literally could not sleep, because one bad thought simply did not want to get out of my head. I could not think of anything. Then the Internet helped me. I just found a very funny show and eventually all the bad thoughts disappeared.
Perhaps, people like pain.
Sure thinking about our problems only make focalize on. If you disinterest on, you can be more free. That's not easy but it's a good way. I meet a chaman lady in South America, and we were talking about this when she told me she decided to don't see more bad things in the life and the world (the ones she can't make better) : "you can choose if you want to live hell or paradise". I already had read about it before, because it's a question I guess really important to one who have a mind full of problems. Tolteks have a great way about it to : when people goes wrong with us, we become angry, and the consequences may are really bad. But in reallity, peoples don't know you really, so just being wrong with a picture they make of you. Leaving from there, no relationship problem can touch us. And finally, boudhism... That's say too to don't focalize on our problem, but focalize on others one, to try help them be better. It help too to forget your own. Thanks for sharing this post !
Yours post encourage me.
Sometimes we worry too much about the things that happen to us without thinking that other people may be worse off. There is a part of the population in the world that can not even drink some clean water.
There is a saying that says: Some are born in flowers and another in mud. We must be grateful that we are not in the mud.
It is one to thing to think about soemthing and be concerned about it and it is entirely different thing to be highly worried about something. Worrying isn't too bad as long as you realize what you are doing. If you are consciously worrying about something, you are quite likely to stop doing it when you realize it won't do you any good. However, unfortunately most of us practice unconscious worrying. Often, when we are fixated on the things going wrong in our life, we start thinking randomly and one thing leads to another which often makes us forget about the problem at hand and worry about other issues. This increases our stress and does us no good.