Excessive Worrying and How to Channel It
Remember This: Most Of The Things We Worry About Usually Do Not End Up Happening
Stop Worrying Yourself Sick Over Things You Can Not Control
Worry is normal and it's not that you shouldn't worry about things. However, excessive worrying can be detrimental to your mental health and maybe even your physical health as well. How many times have you worried yourself sick over something that never ended up happening? You may have ruminated over something you worried about over and over again. All of the excessive worrying did was waste your valuable time. That is valuable time that could've been spent doing other things that give you joy or serenity in life.
The next time you find yourself worrying to the point of it becoming an obsession, stop and take a breath. Realize that worrying will not help the situation nor will it prevent anything from happening. Instead focus on something else to release that negative energy. If the thing that you are worrying about actually does happen, then deal with the situation when it arises. Excessive worrying can make your life miserable.
Take A Walk
Whether you are walking outdoors in nature or inside of a shopping mall, go for a walk. Walking may help to clear your head and mind. Focus on the environment, the trees, flowers, birds, sky, sun and clouds. Also, walking is a form of exercise and exercise may help to alleviate stress. Excessive worrying will cause you much unneeded stress.
Get A Massage
Worrying too much can cause tension in your muscles. You are bottling up a lot of negative energy. Getting a professional massage in a serene setting may be helpful at keeping negative thoughts at bay. Release the tension in your body and you might find that your mind will also feel relaxed.
Write Down Your Worries, Then Rip Them Up
What is it that you are worrying about at this moment in your life? Write a list of your worries and fears. Then when you have finished writing, rip the paper up. Better yet, run the paper through a paper shredder. Feel a little relief as you release those worries into the shredding machine.
Keep Busy
If you have a lot of idle or free time on your hands, it may feel difficult to stop excessively worrying. This extra free time gives you more time to think, especially if you live alone. There are many things you can do to keep busy and keep your mind active in a more positive way.
Try doing some volunteer work, read a good uplifting book (stay away from books that evoke fear or negativity), chat with a friend or family member on the phone, do a crossword puzzle, watch a good comedy, take up a hobby or new activity.
Stop Fear In Its Tracks
Whenever that fearful thought enters your mind, stop it in its tracks. Say out loud "leave me alone!". Tell the thought to go away and replace the thought with something more pleasant. Do not let those worrisome thoughts take control of your life and have too much power over your mind. The more power you give to those thoughts, the more you will not have time to enjoy life or be satisfied.
Use Visualization
Close your eyes and picture yourself in the most serene setting you can imagine. You are enjoying yourself and you feel at ease. Think of the sound of some type of water, be it a waterfall or the sounds of the ocean washing away your fears. Maybe you are swinging in a hammock on a beach or sitting by a mountain lake. Whatever the scene may be, take yourself there in your mind whenever you feel the urge to worry about something.
