The Costs of Worry, and How To Stop Worrying

Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere. We all know that. And in our modern society, we worry way too easily.

Why? Because we have so many things to worry about, like the traffic, the weather, work, school, kids, pets, money, relationships – you name it. Almost anything under the sun can be a source of worry.

And the sad news is that once you start worrying, you can’t stop it – and you begin to worry about everything…

Some amount of worry is perhaps an inevitable part of life. However, obsessive worrying over a long period of time can be detrimental to our health.

In fact, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attributes worry as one of the major emotional causes of disease.

As we know, the smooth flow of energy (Qi) is the foundation of happiness and good health. Worry, on the other hand, knots Qi causing it to stagnate, especially in the lungs, heart and spleen.

The knotting of Qi can manifest itself as symptoms such as fatigue, poor appetite, shallow breathing, dry cough, an uncomfortable feeling in the chest, abdominal distension, tensing of the shoulders, insomnia, irritability, etc.

In women, it can cause delayed periods, painful periods, premenstrual tension, breast tenderness or breast lumps.

So there’s every good reason to stop worrying – and start living.

Easier said than done, right? Not so. I’ve learned a technique that has worked quite well for me. And if I can do it, anyone can.

Here’s how I let go of my worries…

When I catch myself drifting into a stream of worrisome thoughts, I pause and ask myself:

Is it a real possibility?

And…

Is there something I can do right now to make a difference?

If my answers are no to both questions, I immediately stop the stream of my worrisome thoughts because I know they will not get me anywhere. I also find it helpful to use a gesture to symbolize this action. For me, I simply open my palms and drop my worries onto the earth.

Then I take a deep breath, allowing the positive energy to flow in and fill up my entire body. I say to myself silently, “I feel good inside.” And I visualize that this positive energy expands, permeating to every corner of my life.

On the other hand, if my answer is yes to either one of the questions, I’ll begin to take the appropriate action to address the situation.

Either way, there’s not much to worry about, really.

This simple action has made a big difference in my days and in my life. I hope it’ll make a difference in yours.

Let’s stop worrying – and start living, shall we!

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