How many times have you asked yourself?
How to stop worrying?
I have always asked myself this question. I never really got the answer. However, I realized one thing.
Try if you can. You will never stop worrying a hundred percent!
But, there is a piece of good news for you. You can reduce your worry. You can reduce overthinking. Whenever I converse with you, I do so with enough practicality.
Let me tell you how to stop worrying. Before, let me amaze you with a few lines from poet Kalidasa.
Salutation to the dawn
Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence
The bliss of growth The glory of action The splendor of achievement,
For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation to the dawn
- Kalidasa
This poem is actually a solution to how to stop worrying incessantly. It is an irony that our brains jump like monkeys from past to future but never stays in the present.
How to stop worrying? Solutions to the burning problem
1. Analyze the facts
We worry too much because we are confused. We are not clear about what might occur as a result of our actions. Instead of reacting to our worries and getting more worried, focus on being practical.
Dale Carnegie, in his book, "How to stop worrying and start living." mentions that he was worried if thunder lightning may fall on him! This sounds absurd, but this is how most of us are.
"I have had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened."
-Mark Twain
We spend time thinking about stuff that will never happen. If you fear that you may die from an earthquake, consider the probability of people who die from earthquakes every year. Do you live in Japan?
Unless you live in Japan or any other earthquake-prone areas, there is no reason to waste time worrying. The first step is to be aware that you are worrying. The second step is to analyze facts by considering the probability of it happening. Chances are that you might be wasting your time.
Worry is also a healthy thing as it allows you to prepare. Well, this is the only advantage of worrying. But time and again, we tend to misunderstand this concept. Preparing for something by considering the worst-case scenarios is the opposite of worrying. This brings you to the next important step.
2. What's the worst that can happen?
The only worst-case scenario is any situation can be when your life is at risk. There is a difference between life and well-being. When you are heavily in debt, you will not lose your life. You will lose your well-being.
Yes, the inability to repay debt is always a huge cause of concern. However, worrying incessantly without thinking about the worst-case scenario will take you nowhere. It can only land you on the island of chaos.
Why I tell you to think the worst is because the worst may not be the worst. In fact, many students get depressed even before the examination results are out!
It is vital to analyze facts by analyzing the probability and then think about the worst-case scenarios.
3. What can you do about it?
Does this question ever cross your mind? You are so tensed that your brain tricks you into thinking that your survival is at stake. At that moment, you are blank.
After the previous steps, you can develop a habit of asking yourself,
What can I do about it?
The moment you ask yourself this million-dollar question, you start to focus on the solutions to the problem. You start becoming proactive, not reactive. As Albert Einstein put it, you cannot solve a problem with the same mindset.
If you wish, you can write it down on paper. The shift in focus will cause you to worry less. Identify what you are worrying about and what you can do about it. If you cannot do anything about it, why worry about it then? Can you change the inevitable? Come to the conclusion that it is bound to happen. There is nothing to worry about then.
If you can do something about it, go ahead!
4. How to stop worrying by living in the present?
Now, this is tough. With the mind jumping around like a monkey, it gets essential to bring it in the present. There are a lot of ways to achieve it. Meditation is one sure way. However, meditation is not enough.
You need to digest the fact that life is too short to worry. For more than half of your life, you spend time thinking about something that will never happen. I still remember how I spent more of my time worrying about my examination than going about preparing for it! This is such a bullshit irony!
It is healthy for your mind to think about the past and the future. It just means your brain is working. However, keep in mind that your brain projects your terrible times more than the good times because it will do more to avoid pain than to gain pleasure.
Your brain has a pair of almond-shaped amygdalas that warn you against impending danger. It is more popularly known as the fear center of the brain.
We no more live in the jungles to protect ourselves from predators. Death is usually farther away from us than before. The astonishing fact is, the amygdala has not yet evolved. Our prefrontal cortex has evolved through time, which has improved our rational thinking and gave us the power of advanced reasoning.
However, we are still under the grip of the amygdala. Whenever we are venturing into something new, our brain amygdala gets activated. You see your pitfalls more than your success.
So how to stop worrying?
Whenever your amygdala gets activated, be aware. If your life is in danger, this is where the amygdala must work. For other reasons, it is better to link intense pleasure to enjoy what you want to do. Visualize your success as much as you can, and whenever you feel discouraged, know that your amygdala is working wrong.
If you want to know more about this brain structure, you can visit the site,
I hope this article on 'How to stop worrying' has helped you to a considerable extent. Start applying these principles today, and you will become more cheerful and make your life better. I have put the steps to practice and experienced the results. However, do share with me any other techniques you find to conquer worry.
Life is all about experimenting and living with the results. You will worry less.
How to stop worrying
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