How to Make Worry Work For You
The harmony of thinking and being.
By Sandy Newbigging
Worry is one of the most common distractors during meditation. Thoughts of concern can grab your attention and before you know it you’re lost in a myriad of worst-case scenarios invented by your mind. It can distract you from your day, make sleep less than easy and due to the mind-body connection, even hold you back from good health. But you can make it work for you, rather than against you.
1. See the worry thoughts, don’t be the worrier
Whenever you notice that you’ve been caught up in your mind worrying about something I recommend you move into a space of self-awareness. Step back inside yourself to see the worry thoughts and acknowledge that they are there, instead of being the worrier. You have a mind, but you are not your mind. You are the calm, conscious awareness that is aware of your mind so you can benefit from coming out of the entanglement in your thoughts, to instead be the awareness that’s aware of them.
2. Acknowledge that the worry is positively intended
Believe it or not, your mind is always doing its best to keep you safe and happy. Having started observing your mind, you can see that the intention of the worry is actually positive. Your mind is trying to help you to pay the bills, experience more love, achieve goals that are important to you and so much more. By acknowledging that the worry is positively intended, you can get into a better frame of mind; moving from concern to the clarity you need to move towards what you want.
3. Thank the worrisome thoughts for trying to help
Leading on from tip number two, it can really help to actively thank the thoughts for trying to help. This may appear to be counterproductive when you may believe you want to get rid of the worry but by thanking the thoughts for being present within you, you can automatically stop resisting them, let go, reduce stress and even experience inner calm.
4. Get our of your head and into the moment
When you are more self-aware and present, you create a space within your being that allows you to access your intuition, creativity and wisdom – which are all necessary for finding creative solutions for moving forward in a peaceful and productive way.
To get back to the now, I find a simple reality check works perfectly. Tune in to a sound that’s been happening that you were previously ignoring, notice what you are physically touching that you were not aware of, or look to notice things in your peripheral vision that you hadn’t previously seen. By bringing your attention to here and now you will often discover that what you were worrying about isn’t actually happening right now. It only appeared to be happening now because you had been thinking about it.
By seeing the worry thoughts and no longer being the worrier, acknowledging that the antics of your mind are actually positively intended and even thanking your mind for trying to help, you naturally stop resisting the tendencies of your thoughts and can begin to learn to live in harmony with your mind. This healthier relationship with the thoughts can help you to discover the solutions you need to overcome any challenge you may face.
Sandy’s no.1 best-selling book ‘Mind Calm’ is out now.
sandynewbigging.com
