My dear Friends,

a war in Europe, tension in Asia, a seemingly never-ending war in Yemen, rising inflation, the threat of a recession and a looming hunger crisis – we have every right to worry. And, to add to all the worries we already have to worry about, who knows what else comes around the corner next? You might now comment that anybody who does not worry at times like this is a fool. 

However, there is a snag-this constant worrying clogs the brain and paralyzes thoughts and actions, which is not good!

Now more than ever, we need to stay focused, never lose sight of our goals, think things through, and act informed and level-headed. 

Now, you might ask, where is this button which prevents me from worrying? Is there a worry-well button I could press?

Well, let‘s find out – maybe there is something we can do to stop this “worry loop” and shift from worry to wonder.

Reasons why we worry

One of the most common fear-driven behaviours people experience during unprecedented times is worry. We worry about loved ones, our financial situation, about our business and sometimes our worries, are unspecified.

Why? Fear is one of the main triggers; we see it as a way to feel emotionally prepared for negative outcomes. Human bodies are designed to protect you, and a stress signal is sent to the brain when you sense a threat (real or perceived).

In everyday life, this can manifest in the form of worrying. And while it can be helpful in some cases, oftentimes, it turns into an ongoing loop that can be hard to stop.

We worry because we’re constantly trying to figure out how to solve problems. By nature, humans are problem-solvers, and we have a tendency to fuse worry with problem-solving.

Here are the most common reasons why people worry:

Our brains start churning out possible solutions as soon as we identify a problem. And the more emotionally invested we are in a problem, the more worry we feel.

While we may worry for a wide variety of reasons, it mostly comes from a place of fear — either a fear of being judged or a fear of something happening that we can’t control. 

The negative impact

Did you know that most people feel stressed every day? The reasons for stress vary- but all have their origin in worrying. The most dominant reasons for worry are finances, job, business, family responsibilities and future “what ifs”.

The stress is caused by our fight to fix things that are not in our control. As a result, we despair because no matter how much we worry, we also sense that we can´t control the outcome.

Often, the next step is we somehow make anything that wasn’t going right our fault. And the needless “if only- carousel” spins out of control. The endless loop of “if only I could come up with a solution or a plan” or “if only I detected a problem before it was even there.

“The truth is we are constantly trying to fix and improve things that are not directly in our control. The more we try, the more helpless and exhausted we feel.

Orly Levy, Purpose Fairy

And we chastise ourselves by believing we could perhaps be able to fix it. We believe that if we could find that magic solution, everything would work out better.

But, do bear in mind that chronic worrying has a detrimental impact on our health and happiness.

Enough is enough

Worrying is exhausting, and believe me, I have been there. But here are the good news there are ways to learn to cope with and manage worrying.

Many of us are intuitively aware that worry makes us anxious and upset, but research shows that we still lean on worry when facing problems.

Here are some steps you can take to stop this rather exhausting habit, learn to transform your energy from worry to wonder or from anxiety to opportunity:

“Each time we worry and nothing bad happens, our mind connects worry with preventing harm”

Dr Seth Gillihan, Professor of Psychology, University of Pensilvania

#1 Acknowledge your worries

See your worries as something that has been in your life for a very long time and is a lifelong pattern.

#2 Reframe your thoughts

Next, ask yourself, “What is the utility of this thought?” “Does this thought help me in any way?”

#3 Recognize your zone of impact

Do not try to fix or improve things that are not directly in your control- these problems are not meant to be solved by us. Focus on what you can control.

#4 Use that energy

Anxiety, stress, and worry have much in common with excitement, anticipation, and hope. Feel the energy without labelling it and use it somewhere else. Release and transform your emotions-learn to play golf, try a yoga class, write a book or start a blog.

#5 Use your imagination

Just as we use our imagination to come up with the worst-case scenario, we can use our minds to see a positive result.

#6 Manage your worries

Worry well

So, remember, however hard you try, we have very little control over our lives. The number of imponderables is infinite. All we can do is try our best. and stop excessive worrying. It is not going to help you.

Of course, leaving our worries behind takes practice because worrying is in our nature. And sometimes, worry creeps on us when we least expect it. But it’s worth a try. Become aware of your worries, embrace uncertainty, and work on yourself to calm your racing mind; learn to worry well. The process can make us more caring, productive, and creative.

Thank you for wanting to know more today than you did yesterday. If you liked this edition, please forward it to a friend!