horse chestnut - a big tree near our driveway & now it's totally a buzz with fat bumblebees
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy ...
Bobby McFerrin
I popped over early this morning to Making Space's blog and read her post about worrying. Thinking to myself as I read. Worrying - yikes my other part time job, my middle name or at least that's how it used to feel. I still catch myself worrying. I now sometimes worry about the fact that I'm not worrying (Uh Huh !) I'm not kidding. Worry and me go way back, we've been great pals for as long as I can remember and even though I know in my heart that worry is really not my friend it's been very hard to say goodbye. I've been practicing letting my guard down, learning how to say Bye Bye when I hear those first soft raps on the door of my worrying mind.
I used to believe, in the depths of my soul and being, that if I worried about something - and I do mean worry, in that deep, detailed, all encompassing, never missing a potential dreaded outcome (A through K and/or beyond) or possible what-if kind of worrying - that by practising this intense and thorough type of worrying and planning somehow I was building a magically dome of protection over any and all worry items ... and oh boy ! I could always find a bevy of items to worry about and don't get me wrong, many of those things and situations were very real and concrete issues and problems but the intensity of my worrying about, up and down, sideways and around them ultimately wasn't helpful. It just made me feel sick and yet it somehow always felt like comfort to me.
It turns out worrying just leads to more worrying and the more you worry the bigger and badder the worry becomes ... or at least that's been my experience.
An excellent book available at most libraries (I bought a copy I found it to be so helpful) is Self Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression it explains why we worry in this overblown way. How we developed this habit in the first place, how it (worry) can trick us into feeling that it is beneficial and the book teaches methods to undo this nasty worry habit.
I have my fair share, too. I must check out the book. ....be happy now....la-la la-la la la.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, be happee. And always take a moment to stop and smell the roses
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
these photos are fantastic!
ReplyDelete:)
xo Alison
Thanks for the shout out, Susan. Worry is a habit, 'tis true. And I guess when we've spent our lives cultivating that habit (and believing it was the key to protection), it makes sense that it would be a new habit to - well - NOT worry. I mean, what do you replace it with? LOL
ReplyDeleteOh my lovely Susan,
ReplyDeleteThis was a post that really hits home in many ways. I've been caught in the trap of worry far too often, and I have fam and friends that have been in the same boat. I am learning, as you are, that not giving in to the worry and refocusing on more positive things in life, really does work. In fact, I continually share that idea (or "theory") with others here - although, I sometimes fall prey to good ol' worry myself! Ugh!!!
Always thinking of you. Much love to you and the furry gang. xo