How to stop worrying is something we’ve all wanted to know the answer to at sometime or another.

You get a thought in your head, and it grows from a niggly little worry into full blown anxiety.

Your mind goes into overdrive and no matter what you do, you just can’t switch off.

This can have a negative impact in all areas of your life. You can’t sleep properly, you can’t focus on work, and your digestive system also suffers.

Firstly, much of what we spend hours fretting and worrying over never actually happens.

The fear of pain when you visit the dentist, or the anxiety that builds up over a job interview.

Most if not all dental treatment is pain free these days, and job interviewers are only human. They aren’t monsters waiting to pounce on you!

Whatever you fear or worry about, write it down on paper. This immediately puts it in perspective. Rationalise your fears and you’ll be surprised how most are completely unfounded.

Just the act of writing it down, releases it, making your worry far less powerful. It ceases to have the control over you it once did.

Think what is the worst that could happen if your fears really did materialise. You’d probably cope, and the challenge would make you stronger.

Can you solve the problem you’re worrying over?

If you’re a chronic worrier like I used to be, you can easily find yourself feeling tired and drained. Worry and anxiety saps energy and can even make you feel light headed.

A good approach I find is to ask yourself if you can solve the problem.
If the answer is yes, then work out a plan of action.

One step at a time

If your problem is so big, creating an action plan feels overwhelming, here’s what you should do…

Decide what is your end goal, then break it down into small steps.

This not only makes it seem much more achievable, but you’ll feel better as well. You’re giving yourself time to solve the problem, knowing you have the solution.

You’ll sleep better at night, and will find it easier to focus during the day.

If the answer is no, you can’t solve it, try and let it go. Worrying over world problems or the state of the economy is futile.

Much of what we worry about can’t be solved, and many of these are irrational fears. In your mind you imagine the worst case scenario is going to happen. You convince yourself the flight you’re taking is going to crash, or you’ll always be in debt.

Your mind becomes conditioned to always expect the worst, and it’s as if you just expect negative things are going to happen to you.

Unfortunately, by focusing on negativity you’re giving it life. attracting more negative situations in your life.

You can change this very quickly by changing your mindset from a negative to a positive one.

Don’t let fear of change hold you back

It’s human nature to fear the unknown, but taking chances and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can lead to exciting opportunities. It can open doors and make you realise strengths within you that you didn’t know existed.

Worrying over change and how you’ll cope is natural, but unless you make that move you won’t grow. There are very few situations where any of us would fail to cope.

It’s amazing how we can find strengths and resources to help us through the toughest times. I believe we’re somehow guided by forces beyond. My own personal belief is that these forces are our spirit guides.

Anyway, think how much you will have gained from embracing change rather than holding back out of worry and fear:)

Mindfulness to help you stop worrying

Mindfulness is simply being aware of the present moment. It helps you stop worrying, as you can’t think about the future or past while your mind is in the present.

It’s something that anyone can do at at anytime, and it can give almost instant relief.

How to stop worrying about what others think

One of the worst things you can worry about is what other people think. It can hold you back, and stop you moving forward in life.

Constantly seeking approval can leave you feeling very discontent and unsure of yourself.

It can also stifle your uniqueness and originality. Standing out from the crowd and doing things your way can lead to some amazing.
achievements.

The best way to stop worrying about other people’s opinions is to develop confidence in your own. In my post on how to be confident I share some tips you may find very useful.

One thing to remember is that even though you may believe other people are judging you, laughing at you, or think you’re mad, they’re really not.

Most people are pre-occupied with their own problems and don’t notice what’s going on around them.

Can exercise stop you worrying?

When your mind is in overdrive, and you just can’t switch off from all those worrying thoughts, take a breather. Go outside in the fresh air for a brisk walk. Not only is walking physically good for you, but the release of endorphins, or feel good hormones calms the mind.

You don’t have to walk far. Even a 10 minute walk round the block can make a real difference. You’ll feel refreshed, and more able to deal with things.

Talk about your worries

Talking to a friend or family member about your worries, just like writing, releases them. Even if the person you’re talking to can’t help, you’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel.

It can also help you think of solutions, as you work through the worry. You’ll also get their perspective, and how they’d deal with it
This is why counselling works so well.

You could always consider a few counselling sessions if you really feel overwhelmed and need professional help to deal with anxiety

Meditation before bedtime to calm your mind and deal with anxiety

Your sleep can be badly disrupted if your mind is full of worries. This will also affect concentration, your immune system, and many other areas in your life.

One of the benefits of meditation is that it calms the mind, making it much easier to switch off.

Just 10 minutes of meditation before you go to bed will help you enjoy a peaceful, deep and restorative sleep.

If you’ve never meditaded before it’s a good idea to start with guided meditation. It will get you started, and help you understand the steps involved.

I hope this article has helped show you how to stop worrying. I was a chronic worrier until I had a mild stroke a couple of years ago.

It made me realise how negative worrying is, and the impact it can have on your health.

Wishing you health and happiness,
Take care:)
Kathy