Tips to keep worries at bay
I can worry with the best of them but the good news is, I also know some good ways to keep the anxiety that may accompany worrying at bay:
Pray, meditate or sleep or do all three
The wonderful thing about praying is it gives you a chance to acknowledge your worries, out loud if you wish, and hopefully feel a sense of peace once you have expressed your concerns. If you are not religious, you may want to close your eyes and meditate instead, saying out loud or in your head what worries you and taking deep calming breaths after putting each worry into words. Sleeping might seem to be an avoidance tactic but it can act as a tool to rejuvenate you and clear your mind so that you can think of solutions to your worries more clearly. Perhaps a lack of sleep has been the reason why your worries are aggravated so getting some rest can be beneficial. By taking the time to shut out what is going on in the world and acknowledging what is on your mind, you may be able to keep the worry from consuming you.
Tell someone you trust
There are a couple of good reasons to do this: first, there is certainly some truth to the saying ‘A burden shared is a burden halved’. By sharing your concerns with someone you trust, you will have a sympathetic and reassuring ear on your side. Your friend may have some potential solutions that you haven’t had a chance to think about, or may be able to provide the comfort you need, by being there to lean on, literally.
Be proactive
Grab a pen and some paper and write down your worries on one half of the paper and possible solutions to deal with the worry beside them. This reaffirms that your worries are valid, and you get to make plans for the obliteration of your worries. This puts you in charge of the thoughts buzzing around in your mind. You may find it helpful to tackle this action plan through brainstorming with the trusted person in the above tip.
Seek professional help
Sometimes, the above tips won’t help, or your worry begins to manifest itself in unhealthy ways that require you to seek medical help. Please don’t hesitate to do this. If your worry has resulted in negative health effects, seeing a doctor who can help you find a treatment to handle the physical effects may help give you a more optimistic perspective on your worry. And if the worry itself is causing mental anguish, then a counsellor may be helpful, especially if you find you need an objective and unbiased opinion, and a psychiatrist or psychologist may also be able to help you out.
Bottom line: you don’t have to keep your worries buried within, giving them the power to grow and control all aspects of your life. Instead, deal with your worries in a way that ensures that they don’t stick around for long.
worry, worries, anxiety, concerns
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May 23rd, 2007 at 12:23 pm
hey these are pretty good ideas, of course i like the sleeping one.
May 24th, 2007 at 12:03 am
HEY! You forgot to list DRINKING BEER. Sheesh. (I actually don’t condone beer drinking as a real form of assuaging worries, but occasionally a night letting your hair down with good friends can do the trick.)
One other one that I personally find very helpful is to avoid the situation entirely for a period of time. Usually sinking into a good book — even a favorite childish one that serves the sole purpose of diverting your attention — helps me temproarily. Or sitting down and writing, playing guitar, taking a walk, doing something just for me can help. Easing the mind for a period — like you mentioned with sleep — can be good for refreshing. Plus, if you choose exercise as your diversion, you might even sleep deeper and longer!