An emotion everyone feels is …

Worry.

It is one of the most common negative emotions.

I often hear people say “I am a real worrier”.

They worry about their children, work, money, work, health, what others think, how they will perform and how things will turn out.

Worry takes up a lot of time and uses much energy. It is a negative feeling that causes you to feel emotionally low, and it can stop you from sleeping.

A worried mind is a fearful and troubled mind. You can worry about something for hours, days weeks and even years. This has a huge impact on how you feel and your health. A common phrase is “You will worry yourself to death”.

What do you worry about?

Take a moment to list the things you currently worry about. It is important to do this as you can only change what you recognise.

When you worry, you are fearful about an outcome. You worry whether you have made the right decision or how your children will do at school. You worry about having enough money to pay the bills or whether your partner is being faithful to you.

Your mind keeps thinking about and dwelling on the negative state. It keeps asking “What if …?” questions. “What if we have to sell the house?” “What if I do have something wrong with me?” “What if the kids get bullied?”

The more you dwell on it, the more worked up you become and the worse you feel.

Statistics show 90% of the things you worry about never come to fruition.

Your imagination takes over and dreams up possible outcomes.

Outcomes that will affect you in a negative way.

This drains you of energy and can even keep you awake at night as your brain will look for a solution.

And so the movie keeps re-running itself.

Given this, you can see worry is a useless emotion.

When you worry about something, you can either change it or you can’t.

If you can change it, do so.

If you can’t, place it on hold until such time as you can change it.

For example, a good friend is driving some distance to have lunch with you at your favourite eating place. A few days out, you begin worrying whether they will find the restaurant. You begin to think of them getting lost and not making it. May be you should have picked a restaurant close to where they live.

This worry continues through to your get-together day.

Can you change it?

Yep! Re-book a restaurant near where they live – so you then have to worry about finding it! Just kidding.

If you choose not to change the restaurant, put your worry on hold and see if they do get lost. You may give them a call to reinforce they are finding their way. You may suggest they call you if they get lost.

Wait and see. There is a great chance they will be fine.

Importantly, trust it will work out.

You’ve got this.