Epi 115: Letting Go of Worrying - Mindset Reset
Worry is an emotion that, although it can be helpful in working through certain situations when used to drive plan-based or result-based thinking positively, yet, when it’s done in excess and occurring multiple times throughout any given day that worry can be problematic to the mind, body, and soul on all levels. Stress from worrying affects the circulation of energy in the body. It disrupts the nervous system and impacts your liver to the point that it dumps excess sugar into the bloodstream and impedes your inner voice from allowing your wisdom to be heard and acknowledged.
Rebekah from Chicago, Illinois, wrote in and said, “Danielle, a few weeks ago, I listened to one of your podcasts where you created a simplified definition of anxiety and worry. You said worry and anxiety are when your thoughts and mind are solely focused on the future and trying to create solutions without having all the information you need.” I have never found more relief in anything than I do in those words. This understanding immediately made me realize that I was doing something else that you mention often called forecasting. I would like to know if you could speak a bit more about forecasting and offer some ways for all of us to worry less.”
Oh, Rebekah, I’m so glad that simple explanation found you when you needed it most. It’s so true. When your mind is focused on the future, it can deep dive into worry. The thoughts sound like: What will happen with this thing I’m worried about? Will it be what I want it to be? Will I be okay? Beyond all the issues I mentioned earlier, worry also creates confusion and stagnation. Let’s quickly move through a few things before I go into forecasting and how to stop worrying in our brief time together today.
So, first and foremost—if you stay in a negative mindset, such as worry or anxiety, your brain quickly adapts and creates patterns of thought that become the base that all thoughts are framed. When this occurs, even neutral, meaning events not good nor bad, become negative. We certainly do not want everything we think about, feel, or experience to be negative.
Forecasting, let’s get into a basic understanding. Forecasting occurs when we do not have all the necessary information or haven’t experienced a moment before. Remember, the brain’s number one job is to keep you safe. Safety means looking for potential threats and problems that may make you feel unsafe. Anything your brain does not have a pattern for can make you feel nervous, scared, and uncertain. We’ve all experienced this before, right?
So, how can we stop worrying, which was the original question?
Step one: Ask yourself if the problem at hand is solvable.
Step 2: Remember and recognize that thoughts are not facts.
Step 3: Delay the worry. Delay the worry. If worrying is interfering with your day-to-day life and you can’t stop, try putting off your concerns until a certain point in the day. Give yourself permission to have worry periods.
Step 4: Categorize and challenge your worries.
Step 5: Look at the shadow side of yourself.
Step 6: Come up with a tentative plan, not a set-in-stone plan.
Remember, as I always say, the only way through anything is through it. So, get to work. Stop worrying by using these basic steps. Practice them.
I hope these steps work for you Rebekah. Thank you so much for the question! I challenge each of you to find balance in your mindset. Worry is a theft of your precious time. Instead, spend that time doing what works best for you!
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