“Don’t be thinking. It gets you in trouble.”
That’s what my dad would say when I was lost in thought as a kid. He could always tell by the look on my face if I was mulling over a deep thought about life or planning a prank to play some unsuspecting person.
But as I grew older, it was easy for my thinking to get me into trouble in an entirely different way: by worrying. Usually I was worrying too much, about something that wasn’t even a reality, and something I couldn’t even control if I wanted to.
Have you ever found yourself worrying?
Come on, ‘fess up! You’re certainly not alone!
Dr. Robert Olsen, a psychiatrist in the Presbyterian Medical Group, said, “100% of human beings will experience anxiety at some point in their lives- situational or otherwise.”
See? You’re normal if you have anxiety. (And yes, you can laugh at that, too.)
Anxiety may not be pleasant, and you may worry a bit too much at times, however anxiety is a part of everyone’s life.
But that doesn’t mean it has to pull you down or get you in trouble. Experiencing anxiety all of the time isn’t normal (nor is it fun or helpful).
Being prepared can give you a sense of safety and peace, so your worrying may pay if you feel prepared for a pending storm or unexpected financial expense.
However, “stinking thinking” keeps you from acting, and makes you dwell on unhealthy things.
To find out if your thinking ever gets you in trouble, answer these quick questions:
- Is it hard for you to see someone else’s point of view because you are too busy trying to make sure they understand your point of view?
- Is it difficult for you to consider another way of doing something- maybe because you are locked into one way of thinking?
- Do you think in terms of “I” or “we?”
- Do you feel like you’re jinxing yourself if you don’t plan ahead or consider everything that may happen?
- As soon as one problem is cleared up, do you find yourself thinking about another potential problem?
- Do you give yourself enough credit? Do you feel like you are good enough or do enough?
It’s easy to bring extra, unnecessary stress on yourself by worrying too much.