Worry is a major cause of stress. That is not to say that it does not have its place or concerns are not legitimate or meaningful. It can be a signal that something needs to be addressed. Often it becomes a vicious cycle though and relates to things we cannot control. When that happens, it does not just affect your peace and serenity. It can affect your health as well. Here are some questions to help you become more mindful of the worrying mind and how you can address it:
How can you manage your worry triggers? To the extent you can remove what prompts or reminds you of your worries, the more you can achieve a sense of peace. The covid-19 pandemic, amidst all of its devastation, is a prime example since it is the subject of much of the daily news cycle. What would happen if you reduced the amount of time you watch or read about the virus and replaced that time with something that will relieve your stress?
- Where can you reduce or eliminate a worry trigger?
What is on your to do list? We often worry because we have too much on our plate. If that’s the case for you, take a close look at your to do list. Decide what are priorities. Assess if an item on your list is something you think should be on the list or someone else thinks should be on the list. Eliminate or delegate what you can. Share with others a burden you’re now carrying alone.
- What one thing can you take off your plate?
What are your expectations? Sometimes our worry is generated from an unrealistically or unnecessarily high expectation of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with high standards; that would generally be a good thing. But if you looked objectively at your life, you may see places where you have taken it too far or paid too high a cost. That is something only you can truly judge.
- Where might you ratchet back the pressure you put on yourself to reduce your worry?