Why Waste Time Worrying?

How much time do YOU spend worrying?

We tend to worry a lot about things over which we have absolutely no control.

We spend minimal time concentrating and focusing on those things that we do control.

I believe that if we could fix the things that we spend so much time worrying over, we would. Because we can't fix them, they remain a noose around our minds.

When worry walks into our path, I suggest that we immediately look around and see what we can do about it. Tackle what we can do and get it done. What we cannot do, identify who can, resources available to do it or the sheer impossibility of doing anything, then again do what you can and move away from what you can't.

When I was younger, I sometimes did not have the money to pay the rent, buy gas, pay the light, gas or water bill, and I would worry about it. I would try to work overtime, borrow the money, or whatever else that crossed my mind. When none of those things worked, the rent would not get paid, the lights would get cut off, or I would miss a day at work because I just could not get there. Then I would worry about losing the job, using up my leave, and the cycle would just keep going.

One day, I was so worried about the rent, I got physically ill, and I just cried all day. There was absolutely nothing else I could do. Something inside said, well you have really gotten yourself in a pickle, and if you continue on this path, you will be evicted, the lights will get cut off, so will the gas, and you will be without a job. Why not wash up, get dressed, and go to work. Even if you get evicted, and the lights gas gets cut off, you will get a paycheck and maybe, just maybe buy enough gas for the car to get to a relative or friend who just might let you live with them until you can start over. I went to work. I worked hard. I stayed focused on those things I could do. I got a second job. I started a home business. I became even more focused on things I could do, and I got out of the hole that I had dug for myself. In fact, I got so busy, I forgot about the possibility of being evicted and started thinking about other things.

From that time forward, I started focusing on what I could do about whatever was worrying me and clearly identifying what I could not do. I could not increase my paycheck on my job, but I could get a second job. I did not have to buy name-brand food items or clothing, but I would not go hungry or nake. I made adjustments based on what I could do and that left almost no time for worrying. It forced me to become more creative.

I stopped getting scared about what might happen to me, and worrying about what I would do when it occurred to me because if it had not happened already, then I had the opportunity to do something about it -- stop it, minimize it or accept it and move on. One way or the other whatever it was would happen, pass, and something else would take its place. The cycle plays itself out over and over in almost every situation -- it happens or not, and when it is over something else will take its place.

If we have NO CONTROL over what is happening then stop worrying about it and look for ways to minimize the impact while preparing for the next incident that will surely be coming your way.

Enjoy the calm when you get it. Look forward to the next mountain that you will have to face. Learn from the last one, and ALWAYS know that this too shall pass.

Stop worrying. Live in the now. Tomorrow will always be tomorrow, and there is not a darn thing that you can do about it for everything that will happen to you will occur in the present, and will become yesterday.

Peace and blessings always.