I certainly am one. More of us are more pessimistic than others, and when we worry, it is always the worst possible thing that comes to mind first. Worrying is a great thief of time. I am someone who can soar from distress to disaster in five seconds, and it causes me no end of sorrows. When I recognize the pattern, I stop myself with a gentle reminder that tomorrow is another day. Many times when I stew, I think that I’m doing something positive about my problem—at least I am thinking about it. But what I am doing instead is setting off an escalating spiral that can ruin an entire day, for me and for the ones in my vicinity.
When you find yourself fretting over an issue, you must stop instead of worrying yourself to death. You can talk with a friend about your problem, and if you don’t have someone you trust, sit down quietly and write out what’s troubling you. You can write down the worst case scenario, your greatest fears, what you would do and how you would cope with the effects. One of the reasons I worry is because I feel powerless to control my future. When I figured out what I would do if the worst did happen, the sense of hopelessness diminished.
Mark Twain said that he spent most of his life worrying about things that never happened. We all do the same. I had decided that worrying about the future robs me of the present moment. If the nagging “worry” follows you relentlessly through the day, then follow Scarlett O’Hara’s example and tell yourself,
“I’m not going to think about this right now, I’ll think about this tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day.”
Love,
Carmen Monica
Carmen Monica Oprea 