5 Things To Do Instead Of Worry

Find yourself in quite a panic multiple times a week over the smallest of things?

More importantly – are you ready to change that pattern? Worrying is a vicious little cycle of a pattern that can have you spiraling into a panic in no time. And, spoiler alert: it is 100% not necessary. Worry can feel like this odd contrast to you. It can feel like you are helping yourself by trying to control the future outcome, and like a complete mess of chaos at the same time.

Here’s the one and only reason worry isn’t necessary: your worry cannot change any outcome for your benefit or against it.

But you CAN. You have the power to change your outcome, no worry necessary. 

Today we’re going to make some magic happen.

We’re going to turn your worry into ease.

Yeah, it’s possible and it is completely your choice.

Because here’s the thing about worry, it’s simply a thought that you are choosing to live with.

The more you buy into the thought, the more you believe it is 100% true.

So the goal is to change your initial thought.

Before the spiral of thoughts kicks off, before the chaos sets in, you switch off the initial thought that brings on the worry. And guess what, it still works if you’ve already spiraled into the chaos. You just go back to the initial thought you are worrying about. 

Why does this work? It works because the ultimate way to kill worry is to create a solution and then there is nothing to worry about.

There is always a solution.

I repeat… there is always a solution.

Let me give you an example…

I leave the house, 5 miles down the road I think I left my hair straightener on. I can now either…

A. Spiral into a panic that I left my hair straightener on for the rest of the day, wonder how mad my boyfriend will be if I burn the house down and how I will replace all of my stuff

OR 

1. Find a solution… Maybe I turn around and check, maybe I ask my boyfriend to check, maybe I take a deep breath and sit with my morning moves and realize, oh yes… I did turn it off and I know that because I knocked over my toothbrush stand when I did

Boom, worry disintegrated!

I know that may feel like a silly example, or maybe a dramatic example, or maybe even an everyday occurrence… depending on what you worry about; but this is true for all worry-fueled scenarios. 

Okay, so let’s talk 5 things to do instead of worry…

1. Of course… Make a solution

In the words of Marie Forleo, everything is figureoutable. Everything. And I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. And to be fair, she states the caveat: Unless it is a fact of life, like gravity.

There is always a solution in life to your problems. Problems and reality cannot coexist. You either choose to stew in your problem, replaying pain again and again or you choose again and make a solution.

2. Get Present

And the inevitable question comes in about something that hasn’t happened yet. For example: you’re told at work there is going to be an important announcement later in the meeting and you cannot miss it. You now spend the rest of the day worrying about if the announcement is negative, or if it’s going to add more onto your plate, or how it is going to affect you.

The simple solution, get present with your day. That meeting is not here yet and no matter how much you worry, you’re never going to change the announcement. Either get present with your day, or ask your boss if there is anything to be prepared for.

3. Trade Worry

Trading out one emotion for another is one of my favorite tools to shift our state. It’s a simple perspective shift really.

What’s worry trying to do? Worry is trying to control the outcome, and brace you for any potential pain. Trade worry for curiosity.

Well, what if that (insert outcome you’re spinning over) really is true, then what…

4. Give It Away To Nature

Stick with me here… This is one of my favorite tools.

If you find yourself spinning and spiraling into a worried tizzy. Get your booty up and go outside, get around the things in life that cannot waste their time worrying over outcomes or comparisons. Things that simply are being.

Walk around and notice what is around you. Take it all in. The colors of the sky and the trees, the sounds, the way the grass lays. Spend the entire time noticing every detail you can and you’ll be surprised how fast you start to let go of any worries.

5. Talk It Out

Get out of your head, and go to someone you trust AND important: someone who won’t buy into the story and tangle the web more.

Find someone you can go in these moments, and maybe you talk about it towards a solution or maybe you start to talk about something totally different. Either way, get out of the hamster wheel mind and move forward with the present moment.

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