Stem Your Stream of Worry Before It Overflows into Your Life

"Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.  If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained."

~Arthur Somers Roche

When we are worried, we are focused on the wrong thing.  Usually we are focused on the outcome we DON'T want to have happen.  We focus on these negative "what ifs" and help create that outcome by giving so much attention to it.  Our brains try to find us more of the things we think about.  If you are thinking about something, even if you don't want it to happen, your brain helps create it for you.  When you have more and more worry, you create neural pathways for it.  Eventually it impacts your other thoughts and turns you into "worrier" and you overflow your river banks with negative thinking. 

This week: Ask yourself, "How much worrying do I do?"  Keep track of all the things you worry about for a full day.  Write them down.  Now assess them carefully.  Are they really things you need to worry about, or are you wasting your time and energy worrying about things that are a) unimportant or b) not likely to happen.  If you discover you have a problem with excessive worry, get some help with it.  There are many techniques and experts who can help you stem your stream of worry so that it no longer overflows into all areas of your life.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach, and expert in helping people overcome the obstacles to their success--even if those obstacles are internal patterns of thinking or feeling.  For more information, including some free resources, go to her website at http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/

Whatever You Worry About Won't Last

"If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today."

~E. Joseph Cossman

This is so true. We expend lots of energy worrying about things that never come true. Anxiety happens when you are focused on the outcome you DON'T want to see happen. When you are focused on those "what ifs" or "catastrophes in waiting," you don't allow yourself to enjoy the present moment. When you are focused on all those things you are worried about, you miss out on the opportunity to CREATE the outcome you would really like!

This week: Take one of the things you are worried about--a specific thing--and imagine that it has been resolved. Allow yourself to imagine yourself going out into the future 24 hours after the successful resolution of the thing you are worried about. Now notice what happens to the anxiety or worry. If you have followed the instructions for this, it should be gone.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people move beyond obstacles to their success and find the tools and resources needed to create a magnificent life. Want more information? Go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ and check out free resources you can use.