Last week I talked about how much time we can waste on worry.
I included the shocking stat that 85% of things we worry about never come to fruition, and if they do, 79% of the time we handle them better than expected.
The net result being, 97% of worries are a waste of time.
But just HOW do we stop those thoughts taking over?
Here are some of my best strategies:
Use neuroscience
Yep, I’m going straight in with science. Do you know about neural pathways? They’re connected pathways that connect neurons in the brain, and we are constantly creating new ones. It’s how we learn.
But we can also get stuck in the same patterns and thoughts, and the more we revisit those pathways, or thoughts, or habits, the more we strengthen them.
That’s the reason certain worries can come up time and again.
The simplest way to break this is to replace the negative thought with a new one. Easier said than done, right?
It takes practice, but it is possible.
Try this the next time you have a negative thought or worry: cut that thought (even physically say “stop” and move your thoughts on to something different.
It sounds crazy simple, but I have had great results with it, by practicing this method time and time and time again.
Is it realistic?
I often find that worries (particularly night time ones) aren’t founded in anything concrete. It’s not likely to happen, it’s not realistic.
In this scenario I try to grab a notepad, and write down what is worrying me.
Sometimes, that alone works wonders.
Other times, I need to really break it down.
In this case I list my worries, and look at solutions or things I need to/could do to alleviate them.
If they’re things I can’t control, then I practice trying to release attachment to them.
Release attachment
This, again, is easier said than done – but it’s a practice!
Visualising letting go of something that’s worrying me can be powerful – especially if it’s occupying space in my body. For example, I often feel anxious and hold this in my chest. I practice visualising gathering up the anxiety as I breathe in, then breathing it out through my mouth as I exhale.
You can also write down things that worry you or that aren’t serving you and burn them – this is a favourite of mine and and I like to do it every New Year’s Eve, and often on my Mini Retreats too.
Also, visualising the worry disappearing to the tune of “Let it Go” is a good one if you still have any Frozen obsessed children!
If you’d like to work with me 121 to reduce your worry levels and form positive habits, you can book a free discovery call with me here.