The late United States President Ronald Reagan has always carried his mother's words of wisdom as his personal mantra: "Everything happens for the best. If you carry on, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment."
Worry is a necessary unpleasant. But if it is necessary, how can it be unpleasant? Then again, if it is unpleasant, is it necessary? What I mean is: worry is not bad in itself especially if it helps you focus, "Effective planning depends upon anticipating troubles. You need to plan. But excessive worry--toxic worry is a disease of the imagination," according to Dr. Edward M. Hallowell of Harvard Medical School in his bestseller Worry(Ballantine).
But emotions are tricky so where do you draw the line between legitimate and pirated concerns? "If you are planning, and the present-moment activity will contribute to a more effective future, this is not worry. It is worry only when you are immobilized now about a future happening." according to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer of St. John's University in New York in his classic Your Erroneous Zones (Funk & Wagnalls).
Here are some proven techniques to manage excessive anxiety:
Move. Get up and shake out your energy. A rolling body gathers no mental moss. Excercise reduces tension, drains excess aggression and frustration, enhances a sense of well-being, improves and aids in concentration. It is the best natural antiworry agent we have, says Hallowell. The best antidote to worry is action," says Dyer.
Connect. Reaching out to a trusted friend helps you avoid that paralyzing sense of alienation--and that seductively dangerous cocoon of self-pity. Be a part of something larger than yourself. Connect with family, friends, organizations, your neighborhood, church and work.
Organize. The root of worry is a feeling of helplessness, of being out of control. Remember: You are the master of your fate--you are the captain of your soul.
Defy your fears. "Act in direct conflict with your usual areas of worry, enjoy life; don't waste the present with immobilizing thoughts about the future.
Pray. "Talk to God. Pray everyday. Studies have found lower rates of depression among those who believe. As the goes, 'Let go and let God.' Give over to the Lord the power that is the Lord's. Let go of your impossible need for control," says Hallowell.
Never forget: after all is said and done, we are never alone. God --whatever you conceive Him to be-- is just waiting for you. You don't even have to say your troubles.
He already knows.
