Do you find yourself consumed by worry, stress, and anxiety?

If so, you are not alone, it seems to be a universal fear and a common consumption amongst our time.

Most of us fret about the future, dwell on past mistakes, and allow anxious thoughts to cloud our minds, preventing us from [taking action].

But have you ever stopped to consider the true cost of worrying? 

Mark Twain once wisely said,

"Worrying is like paying the interest on a debt you don't owe."

This profound quote serves as a reminder that worrying serves no purpose and only adds unnecessary burden to our lives.

Imagine you receive a notice from a bank claiming that you owe a significant amount of money. However, upon closer inspection, you realize that it's a mistake—an erroneous debt that does not belong to you. Would you willingly pay the interest on a debt you know is not yours? Of course not. Yet, that's exactly what we do when we allow stress to consume us.

Worrying is like taking out a loan on future happiness. We pay the interest upfront, sacrificing our present joy for the anticipation of potential problems that may never arise. We invest our precious time and energy into concerns that often never materialize or have a fraction of the impact we anticipated. 

Just like paying interest on a debt we don't owe, worrying becomes an emotional expenditure that drains our resources without replenishing them.

It's essential to understand that worry serves no purpose other than to hold us back. It paralyzes our decision-making, clouds our judgment, and hampers our ability to embrace life fully. 

The energy spent on worry could be better directed towards productive actions, personal growth, and experiencing the present moment.

Relinquishing our debt and redirecting that energy towards [action] and what we have control of, is a powerful practice that can lead to greater clarity, productivity, and happiness. 

But how?

Here are seven effective strategies to help you in the process: 

1. Practice acceptance: Recognize that there are certain things in life that you cannot control. Instead of wasting energy and mental space stressing about them, accept it. Focus on what you can control and take proactive steps towards those areas. Marcus Aurelius - Emperor of Rome - and once the most powerful man in the world, once wrote, “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

2. Reframe your thoughts: Challenge negative and worrisome thoughts by reframing them in a more positive and empowering way. Instead of catastrophizing or dwelling on potential negative outcomes, consciously choose to focus on more constructive thoughts. Replace worry with solutions-oriented thinking.

3. Prioritize your health: Taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally is essential for managing worry. Prioritize regular exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and healthy relationships. When you prioritize your health, you are better equipped to handle stress and maintain focus.

4. Set clear goals and create action plans: When you have a clear vision of your goals and create action plans to achieve them, you shift your focus from stressing about the unknown to taking purposeful action. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps and create a timeline for accomplishing them. This way, you can channel your energy towards progress and mastery. Oh, and write them down. 

5. Seek support and communicate: Share your concerns with trusted friends or family members. Sometimes, simply talking about your worries can provide a fresh perspective or offer solutions you may not have considered. By communicating, I usually find out that what I’m thinking may actually be quite delusional. 

6. Worst-case scenario: Understand that with every worry, there is a possibility that things don’t go your way. Maybe you are right. If so, try determining what the worst-case scenario would look like. Oftentimes, the worst-case scenario isn’t really that bad. Life still goes on, and for that, you can be grateful. 

7. Practice gratitude:  I’ve never had a daily gratitude practice, so I’m not here to recommend one, however, take a moment to look at the world from a different perspective. Understand how amazing you have it. Still not working? Ask yourself, do you have the ability to read this post?  That means you can see, you can afford technology, you can read, you have an education, you can pay your cellphone bill… the list goes on. If any of those apply, you’re probably more well off than the majority of the world. 

Remember, relinquishing stress, anxiety, and worry is a practice. It doesn’t happen without effort. If you feel like shit, you will think like shit. Figure out what strategies work best for you, and focus on developing them. Over time, with consistent effort and a commitment, you can acquire a more focused, strategic, and stress-free mindset.

Free yourself of the debt you don’t owe and stop stressing.

Own the process,

Tim

Author of Mastery Monday

Founder & Student of thepractitionersjournal.com