Are you a worrier or a warrior?

We worry all the time…that is just human nature!

What do we worry about? Finding a flat; finding a flatmate; getting a promotion when it is due; how to make ends meet; losing a job and so on. There is no end to this and there never will be.

It is like an eternal blue sky with wisps of ‘worry’ clouds floating by; some become darker and hover over our heads ready to unleash their power upon us; some are light and sprightly, sailing away into the blue after tickling our minds and seeding worrying thoughts; and some part and move away, coaxing us to see the bright sun instead.

What is the result of this worrying, I said to myself. Will I be able to change the thing that I worry about? Am I a predictor of the future? A soothsayer? Do I have control? Typically, I cannot predict or change a situation. All I can see or feel or experience when I worry, is an increase in heart rate, palpitation, breaking out in cold sweat, dry throat and enhanced stress. That tells on my health and well-being.

That got me thinking. Is there a way out? How do I worry less?

So I set to focus on what was in my control…that was “self”. I could do something about the way I felt or reacted. I could build a mitigation plan in my mind – how to reduce the impact. I could think of a contingency plan – what to do if something goes wrong. I could envision a pleasant situation or think of something I liked or enjoyed. I could tweak my thoughts. I could work on myself to reduce the impact on body and mind. I became a warrior!

A simple exercise that helped me reduce my ‘worry’ time.

I scheduled all my worrying to a particular time of the day. If a worry popped up at any other time, I would push it down and store it for the dedicated time slot. At the appointed time, I stood in front of the mirror and poured out all the worries. I said them aloud, shouted, ranted and would soon be laughing at myself, as I looked so ridiculous in the mirror. As a result, the worry seemed so pointless sometimes.

After few tries I found it much easier to a ‘warrior’ rather than a ‘worrier’.

I do worry, it is after all a human tendency…but I can reduce the time spent on worrying. I can focus on something else more easily. I worry less.

Day 10 will be spent on a visualization to soothe our minds.

Recap: Day 1 , Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8

Click on Contact me to share a message, thought or a query.

Leave a comment or a question. I would love to hear from you.