How to stop worrying about tomorrow and start living today
Are you a person with constant worries and anxious thoughts? If you are here the answer is yes. And yes, there is a solution for you. We will present you with tips that can help you to stop worrying and calm down your anxious thoughts.
To start don’t be afraid because anxious thoughts, worries, and doubts are a normal part of life.
Everyone worries about money, unpaid bills, relationship, etc. But these so-called “normal worries” become excessive when they are uncomfortable and persistent.
If you worry every day about some things in the future or “what if” things, then you can’t get out of your mind anxious thoughts and that has a huge effect on your daily life.
Negative thinking, constant worrying and always expecting the worst scenario can affect your physical and mental health.
It will exhaust you, make you tired, emotionally drained, cause insomnia, headaches, lack of concentration and so many health issues.
Worry makes us miserable and uncomfortable. Are you one of those people who think “ I can’t shut off my brain? I worry too much, I can’t pay attention to what I’m doing.” Is it possible to stop worrying?
Yes, it is possible and you can train your brain to calm down and stop worrying by adopting these steps that we will present to you here in this article.
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
Leo Buscaglia
How to stop worrying
Avoid getting lost in vague fears
When fears feel vague in your mind when you don’t have clear thoughts it is so easy to go down and get lost in worries and bad scenarios.
In this situation, it is important to clear your mind and ask yourself: Honestly, what is the worst that could happen?
When you answer this question, spend a little time figuring out what you can do about it if that bad thing happens.
The reality is that the worst that can happen is not nearly close to the thing that you imagine and running through your mind. So, spend a little time clearing your mind and that will save you a lot of time, suffering, and energy.
Most of the things will never happen
Ask yourself this question: How many of the things I feared would happen in my life did happen?
And we think that your answer will be – a few. And those that happened weren’t nearly scary and bad as you’ve thought before in your head.
If you ask yourself regularly and reminding yourself of how little of the worries happen, and they were not as bad as you thought before, it will help you to stay calm and stop worrying thoughts before they can damage your mental health.
When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.
Winston Churchill
Make a difference between solvable and unsolvable worries
It is proven that while you are worrying, you temporarily feel less anxious. While thinking over the problem and running through your head distracts you from your emotions.
That makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something, but solving the problem and worrying are two different things.
Worrying rarely or never leads to a solution, on the other hand, problem-solving involves evaluating a situation, taking concrete steps and action.
So, you must ask yourself Is your worry solvable? – Solvable worries are those you can take action in the right way. If you are worried about your payment for a credit card, you can call your bank and ask to prolong your time for a couple of days more.
On the other hand, unsolvable worries are those for which there is no corresponding action. Like, “What if get cancer one day?”.
If the worry is solvable, start thinking. Focus on the things that you have the power to change and don’t think of the things and circumstances that you can’t control.
After you’ve evaluated your options make a plan of action. After that start doing something about the problem, only with the first and small steps, you will feel less anxious.
If your worry is not solvable, accept the uncertainty. We can define worry as a way we try to predict what the future has in a store-a way to prevent surprises and control the outcome.
But, it doesn’t work that way. Focusing on the worst-case scenario doesn’t help it only keeps you from enjoying the good things that you have in the present moment.
To stop worrying, tackle your need for certainty and immediate answers. Ask your friends and family how they cope with uncertainty in specific situations. Could you do the same?
Tune into your emotions. Worrying about uncertainty is often a way to avoid unpleasant emotions. But by tuning into your emotions you can start to accept your feelings, even those that are uncomfortable or don’t make sense.
Do you tend to predict bad things will happen just because they are uncertain? What is the likelihood they will?
Given the likelihood is very low, is it possible to live with the small chance that something negative may happen.
Interrupt the worry cycle
It is important to take action to interrupt these negative and anxious thoughts that are running through your head. Here is what you can do:
Meditate. Meditation helps a lot because it works by switching your focus from worrying about the future or thinking about the past to what is happening right now. By being present at the moment, you will interrupt the endless loop of negative thoughts and worries.
Deep breathing. By practicing deep breathing exercises you will calm your mind and quiet those negative thoughts. Here you can find great breathing exercises to calm down and relieve stress.
Exercise. Exercise is the best way to deal with anxiety and negative thoughts. When you exercise your body releases endorphin which helps to relieve tension and stress, also enhances your sense of well-being. It is the fastest way to stop worrying, by focusing on how your body feels as you move, you will interrupt the constant flow of worries.
Let your worry out into the light
It is so much easier to let those worries out and talk to someone that you trust. Sometimes the person just needs to listen as you work through the situation yourself loud.
If you don’t have anyone that you can talk to and tell your worries then there is an easy solution for that. Clear your mind with writing about it. Just getting it out on paper, computer, or in your journal can help you to calm down and clear your mind.
In a situation where you can’t think straight say STOP!
When you are hungry or lying down and are about to go to sleep you can become mentally vulnerable. So many different negative thoughts and worries are coming to your mind.
When this happens to say: No, no we are not going to think about this now. I will think about this situation or issue at a time when I know that my mind is working better.
You can go through those issues in the morning when you are rested or after you are well eaten. You can’t do this immediately, it takes practice but it works.
Don’t try to guess what is on someone’s mind
As you know you can’t read someone’s mind. It can only lead to creating devastating scenarios in your mind. So, the best solution that can help you with worries and misunderstandings is to communicate and sky what you want.
By doing so you will promote openness in your relationship and it will likely be happier as you avoid many unnecessary conflicts and negativity.
Why is it so difficult to stop worrying?
Constant worrying is so bad, that it can keep you awake at night and make you tense and edgy during the day. And it is so hard to stop. For most chronic worriers, the anxious thoughts are fueled by the beliefs-both negative and positive-that you hold about worrying:
- Positive beliefs about worry
Maybe you believe that worrying helps you to prepare for the worst, prevent problems, or avoid things. Do you think that if you keep worrying about a problem long enough you will be able to figure it out?
It is very tough to stop worrying if you believe that your worrying serves a positive purpose.
It is important to realize that worry is not the solution to the problem but the opposite is the problem, then you will take control of your mind.
- Negative beliefs about worry
While positive beliefs about worrying are bad and damaging for your mental health, negative beliefs, or worrying about worrying can increase your anxiety and that is a road with no end.
You may believe that your constant worrying is harmful, that it’s going to drive you crazy or affect your physical health.
Or you may worry that you’re going to lose all control over your worrying—that it will take over and never stop.
Final thoughts for stop worrying and start living with positive thoughts
It is not so easy to stop worrying, but you have to try these tips and clear your mind. Anxious thoughts won’t help you they will just stop you to live a normal and happy life.
It is important to make the first step and take action, nothing will come by itself you must try and fight for that.