I’ll concede that to a certain extent, worrying is just an inevitable part of being a mom. Or a woman. Or even just a human.
Mostly we worry because we care, because we’re investedโin our children, our families, our futures, and ourselves.
But sometimesโlike when it’s 3am and you’re tossing and turning with anxiety about next month’s bills, or when you’ve questioned for the millionth time if your outfit looks okโyou just want that little voice of worry that’s constantly nagging at your brain to SHUT UP ALREADY.
When those moments of debilitating worry strikeโwhen you’re desperate to figure out how to stop worryingโtry asking yourself these three critical questions about whatever’s bugging you.
How to Stop Worrying: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself
Question 1: Is there anything I can do about it?
It’s one thing to worry about stuff we can actually do something about. Worrying about things that are entirely outside of our control, however, is a whole differentโand completely futile!โballgame.
It’s not just the fact that all that worrying is useless, a total waste of your time and energy, although it is.
But also consider the possibility that worrying about something over which you have no control can actually make the situation worse.
How? By diverting your attention away from what really matters, from those aspects of life that you do have the power to positively impact.
For example, if you’re so stressed about the fact that your one-year-old isn’t walking yetโeven though the pediatrician has assured you it’s totally normal and there’s nothing more you should be doing to encourage those first stepsโall that worry is just taking your focus off the precious, fleeting moments you have with your little crawler.
Question 2: If there is something I can do about it, is now a good time to work on it?
Let’s say you have an important interview coming up, and it’s totally stressing you out, to the extent that you’re having trouble sleeping.
There are certainly things you can do to help that interview go smoothly, like researching the company and preparing your answers to common interview questions. But is the middle of the night really the best time to take those steps?
Hardly.
To squash your inner worry wart, narrow down what you actually can do to deal with an issueโwhat concrete actions you can take to improve the situationโand then pick an appropriate, effective time to do them.
Then put the problem up on the metaphorical shelf until that time comes.
Question 3: Will it matter a year from now? What about five years from now?
This question is all about keeping perspective.
So much of what we worry about ends up as no more than a fleeting concern we quickly forget about. Rarely are our worries tied to actual longterm problems.
In that case, they simply are not worth our time and energyโboth of which are probably being pulled in a million other directions anyway!
On the other hand, if our fears truly are related to issues of everlasting impact, it’s still not worthwhile to sit and worry about them. Talk about unproductive!
Instead, it’s best to return to question 2 and determine which aspects of the situation you have the power to control or impactโand then do just that at an appropriate time.
8 responses to “How to Silence Your Inner Worrier with 3 Simple Questions”
I struggle with worry…. and I thought this post was really helpful and practical! Thanks!
Excellent advice for all of us at any age!
Practical, on target questions! For me, it comes down to whether or not I trust God. I ask for guidance, do what I can do, and actively make a choice to trust.
It really is an active choice, isn’t it?
Step three is very insightful! It puts things in to perspective nicely.
Yes! I do worry and I think perspective is so important? Is it really going to matter? Great post!
I have a pretty good handle on worrying, but after 3 kids, I’m now aware that a post-partum symptom of mine is intrusive thoughts. I’ll be going about my day, and WHAM, all of a sudden these horrible scenarios creep into my stream of consciousness. It’s pretty awful. And thankfully, temporary.
It’s so good that you’re aware of that! It can be debilitating, I imagine.