Walk Away From Worry!
© 2004 Nancy Watters, http://www.VirtuesConsulting.com. May be copied for non-commercial use only.
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Six Easy Steps
Worrying can be thought of as "negative imagination", thinking about bad things that might happen. This technique can help in as little as seven days.
Here's How:
- Make a list of things that you worry about.
- Set aside 15-30 minutes every day as a "worry time" and spend that time intentionally worrying.
- If you catch yourself worrying at other times, say "STOP" to yourself and make a list of things you were worrying about.
- At your "worry" time that day, spend some time worrying about items on the list.
- Reduce the amount of time you spend worrying as you begin to get your thinking more under your own control.
- At the end of your worry time for the day spend a few minutes planning more realistically for the future.
Additional Tips:
- Worrying and planning both involve thinking about the future--but planning is productive.
- Setting aside time to worry is especially helpful if worry keeps you awake at night.
- Sometimes getting more information about a subject will alleviate worry.
- Worry is a form of obsessive thinking. Consider therapy if it interferes in your life.
"Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects the health. You have never known a man who died from overwork, but many who died from doubt." Charles W. Mayo, M.D.
"If your eyes are blinded with your worries, you cannot see the beauty of the sunset." Krishnamurti
"Worry is as useless as a handle on a snowball." Mitzi Chandler