As Mark Twain wisely said, “I am an old man and I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” Learning how to stop worrying is a good life lesson that can result in better health and an improved quality of life. Although worry can be an inherited trait, it is also a behavior pattern which you can learn to control.
Perhaps the following statistics will show you how futile it is to get stressed and worried about life’s ups and downs. Which of these applies to you?
Worrying about things that might never happen
Studies show that 40% of the things we worry about never actually happen. If you find yourself losing sleep over what might happen, discipline yourself to switch off by considering this comforting thought.
Worrying about things we cannot control
A further 30% of the things we worry about have already happened and there is nothing we can do to change them. This is a prime example of learning to “let go”, forgive yourself and others, and move on.
How to stop worrying about vague fears
Of the remaining 30% of things people worry about, 10% are petty and unimportant. Why worry about what to wear or what to have for dinner? Fill your mind with more productive things, such as planning a treat for someone you love, or anticipating an upcoming trip.
Stop worrying about what people think
12% of our worries are needless, such as imagining what people are thinking about us. The truth is, other people are usually far more caught up in their own worries to think about you.!
That covers 92% of things that you should learn how to stop worrying about, as worry cannot change or influence them. The remaining 8% of worries are likely to happen, but worrying still doesn’t help as we cannot change the outcome. Why worry about your future health, the death of someone close, or a natural disaster? If and when it happens, the actual event is often less stressful than the worry itself.
Remember the song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy? Worry and stress are some of the biggest enemies to our mental and physical health, so here are a few tips on how to stop worrying.
- Keep busy, occupy your mind with other things and keep worry at bay
- Get support. Sharing a worry with a friend can help keep the worry in perspective
- Make a decision and stick to it
- Think about what could be the worst possible outcome and accept it. After that, whatever happens is likely to be a pleasant surprise
Reclaim those lost hours of stress, distraction or lying awake at night by learning how to stop worrying. The world will continue turning just the same, but your life will be infinitely more peaceful, stress-free and happy.