Do You Worry Too Much?

By John Holland

Iremember seeing a cartoon in The New Yorker where a mother reads a book on the alphabet to her young child. She begins with:

"' A' is for 'Anxiety,' 'B' is for 'Boredom,' 'C' is for 'Coping mechanisms'…!"

Let's face it, we live in an anxious world where worry is at the top of everyone's daily to-do list. Sadly, even today's teenagers and young children are experiencing anguish. Worry comes in every shape, form, and size. We worry about our family, relationships, jobs, finances, and health. We worry about rising prices, taking exams, and what other people think of us. Some of us even worry about worrying too much!

Worry can be a crippling disease that eats away at your soul, depletes your energy, and restricts your spiritual growth. If you let it, worry can hold you in its tight grip and never let you move forward in a positive direction. It can literally close down your creative abilities and prevent you from achieving your full potential.

I believe that the root of all worries stems from two areas of our life that we focus our attention on most— the past and the future. We worry about mistakes we made when we were younger. We hold grudges (sometimes for years!) against people who have hurt us. We worry about what the future will bring. We worry about things that haven’t even happened yet!

You may even think that worrying will somehow protect or prepare you for the unexpected. But it doesn't work that way. Instead, when you worry, it interrupts your natural rhythm, affecting all areas of your life.

Sure, there's going to be times when it's legitimate to be concerned. It's impossible not to worry if there's a world tragedy, a personal crisis in your own life, or a close relative suddenly becomes seriously ill. I'm talking about when worry becomes second nature and gets in the way of living.

When you can break free from this mindset of worry, let go of your past, let the future play out, and live fully and in the present moment, you'll embark on a path of endless opportunities that serve you.

What's worrying you most? Is it something from your past that you need to let go of? Is it something in the future that you have no control over? Do some journaling this week to pinpoint all the worries that are taking over your life. Keep track of your worries and what triggers them.

Becoming aware is the first step in worry reduction. As you become more conscious of the habit of worrying, you can begin to develop the ability to switch it over before it takes over.

Shake things up! Change your routine. Challenge your mind with something else, like a crossword puzzle or a new project. Go for a walk. Only when you stand up to these worries with your positive actions will they loosen their grip on your soul.

If you know someone who may like to get this message, feel free to share this Soul Inspirations or recommend they join my newsletter list . Equally, I'd love to hear your personal stories, so do share them on my Facebook and Instagram pages.

Live a Soul-filled life!