Do You Worry?

[Changing4Best]

Do you worry? If so, about what.

I have been worrying a lot lately, and it is driving me NUTS! I try not to worry, but that is like trying not to think about an elephant. The more you try not to think about it, the more you do think about it!

 

[ReachingOutJ]

Yes, and I am trying hard to use mindfulness techniques to stop the worry. It's not easy. When I have a "what if" thought, my mental response is "I don't know."

 

[mrsps]

Do I worry?? hell yes!!
I wish I had a switch on my brain that I could turn it off at times, my T tried to get me to work through my worry but it just didn't help. I over think things and go over every tiny detail of things in my head and think worse case all the time.
argh

 

[Changing4Best]

@ReachingOutJ I wonder what mindfulness techniques you are using? I would like to try that too. I know some techniques of mindfulness, but forgot I could use them! Worrying does not want to be shut off, so thinking of and doing mindfulness is something I am going to have to try to really hard to remember to do.

 

[Changing4Best]

I do recall that when my mother worried when we were kids, she put a real damper on our style. We used to call her "Worry Wart" and tease her about it so she would stop it. I think my father even went along with it to a certain extent, not at all reprimanding us for calling her that. She would also SIGH.... when he noticed her worrying about something to do with him.

Worry Warts are like a wet blanket. We are not appreciated.

Now on the other hand, one can constructively plan for the future, taking into account certain things that are generally agreed upon. One would budget ones funds out accordingly, so that one would have enough to last until the end of that pay period. Also, if it is possible, it is wise to save some money for emergencies, so that all of a sudden, if the car needs to be repaired, one has the funds for that too.

SO I would love to hear about your wise planning for the future, instead of worrying about it.

For me, I do have an emergency fund. I try to keep about $500 aside for this. It goes up and down accordingly, compared with what it is needed for. I have had some heavy doctor's bills lately, so it is a bit less than what it was earlier this year.

 

[Recovery4Me]

wonder what mindfulness techniques you are using? I would like to try that to

We have a Mindfulness Thread going that can assist if you wish to revisit some of the practices. Ms Spock is continuing it after this 8 Week Set as well.:hug:

 

[illusionist]

I naturally worry about anything....so, over the years I've learned to minimise my worry. I used to give myself more worry than I needed to have by not seeing to things when I should have..so the worry would just snowball. Now, no matter how hard something is to do, I do it as the consequences of not doing it can be far greater down the line...this really has minimised worry and stress.

Mindfulness techniques really do work with a lot of practice. I am able to cut into my initial thought and change how I view it. Some worries I can physically do something to curb it and therefore alleviate it and use mindfulness to do the rest.

 

[KuanYin]

"Worry" is my default setting! The biggest thing I worry about is losing loved ones. It's terrible. I worry about them dying even when they're standing right in front of me. It's like seeing a living person and a ghost in the same place. It's emotionally exhausting and it gets so bad that sometimes I avoid interacting with people I'm close to. I try to stay in the moment as much as possible, but I understand that this is just my mind's way of preparing me for loss. Expecting and anticipating the worst has been my survival mechanism for so long and that was brought about because of the emotional abuse and neglect I lived through. Old habits die hard right!

 

[Changing4Best]

@KuanYin Mindfulness techniques can help distract you from that. Are you familiar with any of them? There is a group that will be doing a Mindfullness challange starting August 9th. If you are interested, PM Ms Spock. She is leading the group.

 

[KuanYin]

@KuanYin Mindfulness techniques can help distract you from that. Are you familiar...

Yes I am. Sometimes they work and other times they don't. It's the times when I really need them to be effective that I can't manage the energy/focus/concentration.

 

[Changing4Best]

@KuanYin Yes, I know what you mean. I studied mindfulness a few years back in group therapy. However, during the stressful times I should use it, I totally forget that it is a tool I can use to help me! Then I think of it later, when the stressful incident is over, and chide myself for not having thought of it.