Worrying is a very bad habit. It brings nothing positive into your life, it does not solve problems and it does not get anything done. Frankly, worrying is stupid. Yet we do it anyway, and I’m the first one to admit it. Whenever I’m on a tight deadline, face financial issues or have relationship problems, I worry.
I worry about the past. I worry that my actions were not perfect. I worry that I may have done something wrong. I worry about the future. I worry about the challenges to come. I worry about unlikely what-ifs.
I worry.
I have learned however that you could control worries. It takes a lot of hard and continuous work, but you can tame the lions of worries and make them purr.
Here’s how you can remove a big chunk of your worries right now.
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the past! The past has already happened. You can’t change it. You have no control over it. So why worry about the past? It is useless to worry about it since you have no power over it!
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about the future! The future has yet to happen. You can’t predict it. Stop wasting energy worrying about the future! It is useless because you have no way to know what will happen!
Live in the present!
The present is where you must focus your energy. The present becomes the past, so by controlling the present, you get power over the past. The present also has a direct influence over the future: by controlling the present, you are shaping the future.
Use the past to get insights about what you should be doing right now. Get ready for the future by preparing for possible outcomes. Decide what you need to do to solve your problems and act on your decisions right now, in the present. The only thing you have power over is your own actions!
If you do everything in your power to fix what is worrying you, your worry will disappear. Either you will succeed in overcoming your problems, or you will fail. If you succeed, you will have nothing left to worry about. If you fail, you will know from the bottom of your guts that you have done everything in your power to succeed and your worries will disappear anyway. You don’t believe me? Just try it. Give it your all.
Stop thinking about what happened and what is to come. Live in the present, and take action!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Phil this is spot on!
Actually while I was reading your intro I was thinking about the comment I was going to leave reflecting the idea of living in the present and low and behold I scrolled down and you said it for me
You can’t worry if you live in the present because there’s nothing to worry about there. Its a really tough idea to get your head around but when you do you truly see that worrying is a fruitless exercise.
Exactly! But I have to make continuous efforts to live in the present. I guess it becomes easier with practice.
Thanks for stopping by Ben
Yeah me also Phil but that’s part of the fun of doing it.
Great advice, Phil
I used to worry a lot, too. I’ve trained myself not to worry too much about the future as I’ve started to have faith in myself. I know that whatever happens, I’ll handle it. Worrying about the past is a waste of time and energy, too.
Living in the present – great advice.
Karen
Great point Karen, having faith in yourself is the key to stop worrying about the future. Thanks
I think you’re spot on here Phil. I agree. I only worry about the things I can do something about. I can’t control everything and worrying about everything will only make me more worried. So I save the worry and don’t do it.
Exactly! Thanks for stopping by Matthew
I have glaucoma and I have to have an MRI. I am so worried and anxious about this that I have already diagnosed myself as having a brain tumor. How do you stop yourself from this circle of worrying. I had a severe panic attack last night because I really believed I was going to die.
Hi Pat,
I’m really sorry to hear about your glaucoma. I wish you the best of luck with the MRI. I can’t possibly imagine how anxious you must be feeling.
It might not be of much help right now, but one book that has really helped me stop worrying so much is “How to stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnegie. I refer to it from time to time as it’s filled with advice to conquer different kinds of worries. Look it up, I really recommend it.
I used to worry a lot. I worry with the non-sense things around me. I am worried with my credit card bills…and so on. Then, I’ve come to realize that these worries make me older and uglier. I should be happy, pretty and alive, right Phil?
Thank you very much for your great and inspiring ideas! I love your articles!
Haha yes Ella, everyone deserves to be happy, pretty and alive!
Thanks for your comment!
Hi Phil,very short and but yet very insightful article.I have done Art of Living YES+ Course which you might have heard about,and the technique of living in present i learnt there..you know which is the only thing which continuously happens in present??…Yes its Breathing…and by getting aware of this thing and focusing your mind on your breathing you can actually bring back your mind in present from past and future…so just try it out guys whoever wants to live in Present…Keep doing this good work Phil..)