No Worries

by Kris Pitcher

I've always tried to remind myself that 95% of what I worry about won't happen. Recently I was waiting for my husband at the gym where I came across a magazine I hadn't seen before. It's glossy cover drew me in, and it's January 2011 date had me lunging for it! I thought I'd struck gold!

Inside those glossy pages was a hidden gem, "How to Break Your Worry Habit" by Martin Rossman, M.D.

I know we spend a lot of time worrying. My grandmother was a worrier, my mom has worry-wort tendencies, and I'm worried I might have it too. Worries keep us up at night, rob us of energy, and keep us from pursuing our lives in rich and fulfilling ways. So sit back, don't worry, we're going to get a handle on this.

From the article: Research shows that 84% of worries don't have the expected negative outcome - and even when they do come true, 79% of people say they handled it better than expected. Here are some tips for getting your frantic monkey mind under control.

1. Make A List Divide your worries into two types: those you can do something about, and those you can't. The ones you can't act on, track for two to three weeks and observe how many of them come true (and how many don't).
2. Create A Worry Jar Jot down each nagging thought onto slips of paper and drop them into a designated jar before you go to sleep. This helps you let go of them for a while so you can rest.
3. Reject Them Every time a worry arises, mark it mentally with a big red X. This ritual satisfies the mind's desire to do something when helpless worries take hold.
4. Visualize A Better Ending How would you imagine your desired outcome if it were up to you? Let it be the symbol for the outcome you would create if you were writing the script. Energize that image by making it look and feel as real to you as possible.

Check out more solutions to your worries at worrysolution.com. You've got one life to live, this one right here right now. Put those worries aside and visualize the outcome you want!