Worry Is Wasted Energy

"If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever." -  The Dalai Lama

If you stop to think about it, what's the biggest waste of your time in your life currently? Is it binge watching that series on TV? Is it hopping from one social media platform to the next? I think the biggest waste of time in my life is time spent worrying. 

Worrying is one of the most purposeless things that we do. Worrying takes us out of the present moment and either back into the past, where we spend time ruminating over what has already happened and cannot change; or into the future so we can stew over what might possibly happen (or might not happen). 

Unless your worry can help you create solutions you can implement to prevent a negative outcome, it is doing more damage than it is worth. We need to interrupt that pattern. The time we spend worrying is time we don't spend living because it keeps us trapped inside our own heads. Worrying won't stop the bad stuff from happening, it just stops you from enjoying the good.

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." - Corrie Ten Boom

We unproductively spend time worrying about work. We worry about losing our jobs, or not being able to find a new one, instead of enjoying the job we do have and finding ways to improve our current work life. We could make better use of our time furthering our education, improving our skills, becoming indispensable in our current job or exploring better career options. 

"Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire." - Dale Carnegie

We spend time worrying about not having enough money, or not being able to buy the things we want, instead of being grateful for what money we do have and enjoying the things that we already have in our lives. We need to shift our focus on feeling grateful for all that we already have in our lives and in enjoying the things that money cannot buy.

"Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create." - Roy T. Bennett

We spend time worrying about never finding true love or losing the love we have, instead of learning to love ourselves more, and nurturing our relationships so that they are deep, lasting, and fulfilling. If we’re wasting time lamenting over a lack of love, or loss of love, then we’re not spending time paying attention to the people who are already present in our lives. Take the time to tell the people you care for that you do. You only live once, and you never can do it too soon.

"Whatever is going to happen will happen, whether we worry or not." - Ana Monnar

We waste time worrying about what the rest of the world thinks about us. We spend precious time courting favorable opinions, comparing ourselves to others, pursuing approval and worrying that we will never get it. How much better if this time were spent actually doing the things we want, rather than thinking about what other people’s reactions will be? You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.

"As for worrying about what other people might think - forget it. They aren't concerned about you. They're too busy worrying about what you and other people think of them." - Michael le Boeuf

We needlessly spend time worrying about unimportant things. We get bent out of shape over tiny insults; we agonize over decisions that won’t matter next week. We often spend more time worrying about what we’re going to wear, where we want to eat or what we’re going to say, than we do enjoying our meal, experiencing what we’re doing or having the conversations. Focus on the positive. Focus with an attitude of gratitude. 

"Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have." - Dale Carnegie

We spend a lot of our time worrying about things that are out of our control. But in reality we fail to control what we can…the decision to not worry. Some planning is necessary, taking action mandatory, but worry is optional.

I know that it is easier said than done, believe me I do. It's easy to feel like you cannot control your worry. It's easy to worry about things you know won't likely happen. It's hard to get your worries out of your head. And that is exactly what worry is. 

But the first step to reducing the amount of worry in your life is recognizing that it is purposeless. Realize that it is unlikely to help you create a  great solution that you can use that will prevent something from happening. Realize that you may be focusing your concern on something that doesn't even actually exist. If it does exist, it may be entirely out of your control. By taking the action of worrying, it does not actually help the true action you need to take to actually solve the problem. In reality, unless you can do something and your worry is going to get you to the point where you identify what that something is, worrying only leads you to feel stress, anxiety, discomfort, and discontent.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but I know that I have personally spent a considerable amount of time worrying, ruminating and anxiously projecting over the course my lifetime. That time would be much better spent focusing on the work at hand, paying attention to the people around me now, and reveling in the experiences that are happening in this very moment. As I said before, time spent worrying, is time spent not living in the life we have at this very moment in time. That is truly the biggest time waster of all.

Worrying is negative goal setting. Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? Worrying or feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have. Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don't want. How would your life be different if you stopped worrying about all the things you can't control and started focusing on the things you can? Let today be the day you free yourself from fruitless worry. Seize the day and take effective action on things you can change. Your life is way shorter than you imagine.  Do more, worry less.

Make today great!

Curtis

"It is difficult to live in and enjoy the moment when you are thinking about the past or worrying about the future. You cannot change your past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about your future. Learn from the past, plan for the future. The more you live in and enjoy the present moment, the happier you will be." - Roy T. Bennett