The Worry Wart Syndrome.

     I haven't written a post in awhile. It doesn't mean that I haven't had any thoughts I felt worthy of being documented, but I think life has just gotten the best of me lately, and free time has been spent doing other things.... like worrying :) I have found that I have been worrying a lot lately. The thing is though, when I do worry, I know it is silly. I am fully aware that my fear and worry of something horrible happening is ridiculous. I know that the reality of things are pretty good, and that what I worry about probably and most likely will not happen. I don't know if it's a control thing, or if it's because I have a wild imagination, but I am a really amazing worrier. Maybe that's it? Maybe we look at our faults and twist them around to be positive.  Just imagine talking to someone, "Oh, you're handwriting is perfect and you live in a beautiful house and drive an amazing car? Well, I've got you beat because I am the best worrier I know!" I think it could work! 

   

     I have been worrying about being a worrier for sometime now and it helps me to know that I am not alone. I think worry lives in all of us, some more than others, but I know we all experience that feeling at some point in our daily lives. I wanted to write a list of things that I have found to be helpful to me when I am in a worry tizzy! I find that when I worry I play the "what if" game... and that just doesn't help anyone. An average internal monologue in my head goes something like this, 

   

   "Well, what if I don't hear my alarm in the morning and am late to work? And then what if I get in my car and I realize that my tire is flat! What if I have to spend so much money to get it fixed? What if the car repair place tells me that I not only need a new tire, but I need new breaks, new windows, new engine, new everything! What if I can't pay, so I take up a second job. When the heck am I gonna find time to take up a second job? What if...! What if....! What if...! What if....!" 

     

    Do you see how one could just go crazy? I went from being nervous I wasn't going to hear my alarm, to being poor on the streets with no car and no time for a second job. Worrying is SILLY! It's exhausting! I am truly trying to work on this aspect of my life and I would love to help someone else in need that shares this Worry Wart Syndrome with me (yes, that is a technical name for it... maybe?) Here are just some things I do to help me stay grounded and come back to the reality of things when I let the "what if's" keep my feet off the floor.

Ways to deal with the dreaded Worry Wart Syndrome:

1. close your eyes and take three deep breaths... in.. and out... in and out... in and out..

2. always think of the worst case scenario and decide what is the likelihood of it actually happening.

           example: Worry Wart Amanda: "Oh! I am so scared to teach this class! What if the students hate me and don't believe anything I am telling them?

Grounded Amanda: What's the worst thing that could happen?

                            

                             Worry Wart Amanda: The students could fall asleep or just not show up the next class or just sit there and throw things at me and laugh in my face.

                            

                         Grounded Amanda: Now... what's the percentage of that scenario actually happening?

                              

                               Worry Wart Amanda: Well, actually, now that I think of it, I guess it would be about a 10% chance?

                         

           Grounded Amanda: Very good... now trust yourself, you got this.

3. sit in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor, close your eyes, focus on your breath and feel your feet in the floor and think of something positive and beautiful. Breathe in the good energy and breathe out the negative thoughts. Do this for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  When you open your eyes, you should have a new take on whatever situation you're worrying about, and hopefully you aren't worrying as much!

4. write! write! write! Sometimes we let our imaginations get the better of us, and all the thoughts get stuck in our head and they play on loop over and over again. Well, write it down! Write down all your worries in a notebook or journal (or blog post) and I guarantee you will feel better. I often think that writing just helps get what is in your head out and once it is out, you can move forward.

5. play music! We all have those songs that make us feel happy or bring us back to a time when we felt the most free... listen to that song. It may help you gain some new perspective. 

6. eat a Banana. Seriously. They help with whatever is wrong. Always. 

7. talk to someone! Call up your family member that gives the best advice or talk to your partner in crime! Sometimes just talking things out helps. Don't keep it all in your head. 

8. Drink!!! Water of course! :) I have noticed that when I start to go on one of my "what if" rampages, it sometimes means that my head is foggy and I haven't had enough water. When you feel that cold water go through your body, you start feeling alive and I don't know about you, but it's always a good reminder that we are, in fact, alive. 

9. Hug someone. Well, maybe not a random person on the street, but hug a friend, a family member or your person. Just hug them. They will know that you need it and they will hug you tighter than you have every imagined and you will instantly feel safe. If you have no one to hug.... I will always hug you, so come hug me! :) 

10. Say these two little words.. " LET BE." Let whatever is bothering you, or whatever the situation is be. Bottom line, we can't control anything that happens to us. We can try our hardest to prevent something from happening to us, but we don't know. We really don't know what the final plan is for any of us. We can hope we know, we can keep faith, we can pray, but we don't actually know. So by saying, "LET BE." You are allowing yourself to trust in whatever it is that is happening. Sometimes the hardest stuff we go through in life, makes us the strongest.




Now... if I could only listen to my own advice ;)