When we worry about problems, we worship them. It is as simple as that. Usually when we imagine the act of worship, we tend to think of religious gestures such as singing, praying, and dancing. That is a form of worship, sure, but worship is actually what we give our attention and energy to. So when we worry, we are essentially glorifying an issue rather than solving it. We give the problem power- a foothold in our mind that will eat away at us until we cannot function on a basic level. We deplete ourselves of the energy we could be using to counter the negative thoughts and feelings when we succumb to the anxiety and stress that worry provokes.

Here are a few steps that I find helpful to counter the onset of worry: 

1. Reshape Your Frame

Remove yourself from the micro and look at it from the macro. Zoom out and put the worry in its most basic form. 99% of the time, we have the ability to solve or work through whatever the issue might be. There is not a whole lot that we can control in our lives- but our focus, effort, and perception are a few things that we do have control over. Choose optimism. How we see the world is how we show up in the world. We cannot expect to perceive our lives as gloom and doom, stressful and draining or just downright bad if we want to take control over worry. See things as they are, but put an optimistic twist on it that gives you an edge over your problems. 

2. Create Motion

Once you reshape your frame, determine how you will attack the worry- then act. As humans, we naturally gravitate towards the perilous P’s- pessimism and procrastination. Inaction allows the mind to ruminate on all of the potential negative outcomes. Rather than being stagnant and doing nothing, take some sort of action- not only does this help solve the issue, but it also keeps the mind from going to dark and negative places. Think of it like this; If your car is stuck in the mud, sitting there and wallowing in the literal and figurative mud will not get you out any sooner. Calling a tow truck or flagging down a good ol’ boy with a big rig will get you out of the situation quicker than worrying about any possible damages to the vehicle or how you are late to your hair appointment. Action trumps inaction in most circumstances.

3. Move Along

As stated above, there is only so much we have control over in our lives. If we put forth our best efforts into solving our issue, there is not much else we can do. We are much more capable than we give ourselves credit for- when we repeatedly and consciously practice countering worry, it gets a little bit easier each time. There is tremendous power in letting go of what is out of our control. After all, life is about experiencing each moment we are given as it is and making the most of it. No one gets to the end of their life and says “Man, I really wish I would have worried more!”. In fact, for many it is the exact opposite. Making a decision and moving on it, in spite of the worry, conditions the mind to grasp outcomes that look and feel better than sitting back and fretting. Once action is taken, drop the thought and move on. What’s done is done, you cannot teeter totter back and forth between “is this right?” and “is this wrong?” for too long. That defeats the entire purpose of acting. Learn to move fast and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

It is too easy to give in to our minds tricks. Ultimately, the brain is a tool that we should use, not a tool that uses us. Learning to control our thought patterns and see past the worry is a daunting and challenging task, but like everything in life, it is achievable with time and repetition. If you are taken captive by worry and stress today, take a breath and realize that it is ok- you have an opportunity at this very moment to flip the script.

Godspeed friend.

-Wyatt