We all worry about things. That’s part of being human. But a lot of the time, we over-worry. In our minds, we turn mountains into molehills.
And whilst that’s normal. there are times when those thoughts overwhelm us, excluding near enough everything else from our thoughts.
It doesn’t matter how often other people try to be helpful and remind us that it’s not the end of the world. Their help just makes matters worse.
So what can you do to put your worries into perspective?
Cut out the news
The news is full of things to worry about. Crises, wars, accidents, tragedy. The list goes on and it usually makes the headlines.
If you believe the tabloids (and sometimes even the more responsible press) the world as we know it is going to end and we’re all doomed.
Which, unless an extinction level event is about to occur, just isn’t the case.
Sure, things might be bad. People may well have died. But the fact that you’re able to read about it and watch it means that you’re either not involved at all or that you were involved and have come out the other end.
So stop clicking back to the news tab, get rid of the news apps on your phone, unfollow people who are always being pessimistic about the news.
Detach yourself from the event
Our minds are good at shifting us to the place where the bad things are happening. It’s almost as though we’re there.
This takes a bit of practice but is well worth doing. It’s based on a neuro linguistic programming technique to overcome fears and, since worrying is a fear, it works nicely for that.
In your mind’s eye, see the event as though you are watching it in a cinema.
Then turn the picture you’re looking at to black and white, which we tend to use as short-hand for events and things that have happened in the past.
Then play the scene you’re worried about backwards, putting some circus music over it inside your head.
Repeat that process a few times, speeding up the reversed movie if you can.
What this does is literally takes the paths that your brain takes to amplify the worry and erases them. Don’t ask me how – I’m not that techie – but I know from when I’ve used the process on myself and other people, it works a treat.
Introduce a time perspective
Most things don’t last.
OK, if you’ve had a serious accident that may not be the case but near enough anything else you’ve chosen to worry about doesn’t last.
The tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster has susbsided and whilst the plant isn’t completely safe, organised tours are taking place there. And that was a big event, making worldwide news.
Most of the things you’re worrying about won’t be on that scale.
And unless you keep a journal detailing all your fears, I’d suggest that you’d be hard pressed to remember what you were worrying about a month ago or a year ago. Let alone a decade.
Putting things into a time perspective can even be fun.
If you can, in your minds eye, hover above your timeline and look forward and backward along it. The higher up you fly in your mind, the further away events seem and that time distance can help you put them into perspective.
Try it – keep an open mind when you do it and approach it with a child-like sense of wonder and enjoyment.
Don’t stick your head in the sand
It’s easy to pretend that things aren’t happening.
You put the bills and final demands somewhere out of sight.
You don’t return phone calls if you know they’re going to make you worry more.
But there’s actually a relief when you do confront the things you’re been putting off.
That often makes the worry worse because our minds are very good at nagging us – maybe by bringing our thoughts back to the problem, maybe at night in our dreams, always there at the back of our mind and pushing to come back to the front of it.
Get help to think straight
Often we get so overwhelmed by all these thoughts that we can’t think straight.
Talking things through with an understanding friend can work providing you’re able to open up your feelings with them and they’re prepared to listen. The mere act of vocalising the things that are worrying you can help put them into perspective.
But if that doesn’t help – or you don’t feel able to do that – then there is another way.
It’s discrete and easy.
Just download a hypnosis track and play it to yourself.
It will work with your mind to help you calm your worries and help get you back to thinking straight and getting your life back on track.
You can download an MP3 to help you get perspective on your worries here.