I am positive that no one, even the most calm, serene and laid back person, is totally exempt from worry. As we don’t know what will happen, how things will go in a certain situation, what the outcome of a project of ours will be, it is only natural that we give in to a feeling of uncertainty, which, as a consequence, may cause an unpleasant sensation of uneasiness. We don’t want to worry, but we do. Is there a solution to the problem? There might be and worry can be dealt with successfully, provided we understand its nature and the outlook we can assume toward it. Let’s now talk, specifically, about “you.” Are you in the habit of worrying? No? Good for you. You are one of the few lucky ones! Yes? What about? It could be your job you are not totally happy with, or maybe your state of affairs you are doubtful about. Is your spouse a little distracted and you don’t know why? Maybe you are obsessed with the thought of a specific circumstance that might (but also might “not“) materialize.
It might happen that, when you read the paper or watch the news, you start worrying about politics, the international situation that seems so unstable.
Money is another topic that makes you uneasy because you don’t know if you’ll have enough to carry on or you are afraid that what you have won’t last forever. Even the thought of your neighbor’s judgment might bother you because you don’t like your behavior to be the object of gossip.
You look at yourself in the mirror and you notice you have put on a few pounds. “Oh, no!, you say, I am getting fat. I have to start exercising (while you don’t want to!), or go on a diet (you don’t like the idea!” Don’t you sometime worry even about the weather? “I can’t go for swim, you say, because it’s too hot, it’s windy, it’s dusty…” Okay, these things happen, they are all legitimate, possible situations but, you know what? You can’t do anything about most of them. You can take action when an action is possible, and you should certainly do so. However, when whatever situation you are worried about is totally beyond your control, what are you to do? Here is a possible way to minimize your unpleasant state of mind. Tell yourself (and keep doing so) that worry is the most useless activity you might engage yourself in. Why? Because “it doesn’t change anything.”
On the contrary, it makes you feel worse because you are actually experiencing negative feelings, and therefore you end up suffering “by your own choice.” Besides, if you keep focusing on what you fear might happen, there is the strong possibility of attracting the circumstance you are afraid of. Have you heard of the so-called “law of attraction”? It seems that what you focus on might be encouraged to materialize in your world. Therefore... why take the risk? Why, instead, not try to relax, to envision a positive resolution? If there is something you can do to increase the chances of a good outcome, do it. If there isn’t, just accept the situation and wait for what happens.
Continue doing your business and...enjoy a good movie, a tasty meal or a pleasant conversation with friends. Life can be much simpler, if you only decide to accept it the way it is. Don’t forget that it’s wiser to sit comfortably with a book (or whatever you like doing indoors) rather than curse the possible storm that might prevent you from going for a walk. Only fools fight windmills! The sun may still come out! And you have wasted some of your precious time tormenting yourself “uselessly.”
— Elsa Franco Al Ghaslan, a Saudi English instructor and published author (in Italy), is a long-time scholar of positive thinking.
E-mail: [email protected]
Blog: recreateyourlifetoday.Blogspot.com
