Asking the Worry

After a worry has passed we can often look back and recognize that the worry grew too big. We agonized over it, paced the floor with our minds over it, allowed it to grow out of proportion until it occupied way too much of our time and space. Perhaps, instead of reflecting after the worry, we can pause for a moment mid-worry and ask it "Are you a hypothetical worry or a practical one?" Hypothetical worries are not based on facts - they are based on fears. They are the worries that niggle at our doubts and drown us in anticipated despair. They are the worries that take up way too much space. Practical worries might actually help us. They are the here and now worries, the ones we can do something about. If our worry is hypothetical, we are much better served to 'put it on the back burner' and move to a distraction. This can take some work, but it is achievable. And if the worry is practical, we can move to action - doing something always brings us a greater feeling of feeling settled. Stopping to pause and ask our worry just where it stands can be a small coping strategy with big impact. Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@tingeyinjurylawfirm