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A lot of us are anxious, worried and get depressed most of the time. A research was done about worries and the following statistic was found
- Things that never happen: 40 percent. That is, 40 percent of the things you worry about will never occur anyway.
- Things over and past that can’t be changed by all the worry in the world: 30 percent.
- Needless worries about our health: 12 percent.
- Petty, miscellaneous worries: 10 percent.
- Real, legitimate worries: 8 percent. Only 8 percent of your worries are worth concerning yourself about.
If we look at this statistic, the majority of our worries i,e 92% do not happen and yet we are worried and this worry leads us to all sorts of problems including relationship problems and health problems. Let Mr. Worry be around you a while and you invite a new guest in your life, called anxiety!
If we analyze worries deeply, it is nothing but our stories about a future situation. If the future situation seems unfavorable, worry sets in, you let the story fester for a while, the worry becomes anxiety. On the other hand, if the future situation seems favorable, we feel better and more positive emotions (such as anticipation, excitement etc) set in. Take, for example, the feeling when you are planning to go on vacation, you feel great. Why? Because the future situation is fun. At the end of the vacation you feel depressed. Why? Because you have to return to work you don’t like.
So, how can we overcome worries and anxiety? Here are 2 quick ways:
- Realize that all our worries are invented by us by thinking that a bad future situation will occur in the future. Remember, these are just stories, they have not yet actually happened… and probably never will.
- Invent a good future situation by deliberately thinking about the good things which will happen in the future.
Now, think of that next presentation that you have to deliver to the management team… or that public speaking event that has your nerves a bit unsettled… or that next important meeting that has you chewing your nails… all these need not be a source of worry! You just have to first notice the story around the worry… and then change it in your favor!
Good luck!
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