Perhaps you have heard me say that worry is a form of idolatry. Worry is a self-prayer: “Self, you can solve this problem. Self, there has to be a solution. Self…”
On a recent podcast, I heard an interview with Dr. David Rosmarin, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the author of Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You. On the podcast, he made the intriguing observation that people who worry usually do not have high levels of anxiety. A worrier experiences the illusion that he can control outcomes. The fact is there’s much more outside of the worrier’s control than he would want to believe. Worriers mistakenly think they are in control of much more than they are.
To reiterate, worriers typically feel less anxious. Their worry reflects their feeling they can control more in their lives than is possible. They constantly analyze, problem-solve—and worry. Worry makes you feel like you are doing something when, in reality, you are doing nothing.
How do you overcome worry if you are a worrier?
- Eliminate the illusion that you control so much in your life. A lot in life remains outside our control.
- Learn to tolerate the intolerables. This means accepting that many things in life are outside our control. This, in turn, requires courage. The good thing is that many of us have shown this courage even when we may not have been aware of it. In the podcast, Dr. Rosmarin referenced flying in an airplane. Very few of us dwell on the dangers of flying on an airline. Virtually everything is out of our control, and we accept it.
A worrier who symbolically joins “Worrier’s Anonymous” and reduces her worry can significantly improve her life. But she can still feel anxiety. I recommend listening to the podcast to find out about reducing that anxiety. Here’s a link to the podcast: https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/podcast-947-turn-your-anxiety-into-a-strength/
By taking steps to reduce worry, you can regain a sense of control and confidence in your life.
Also, check out Dr. Rosmarin’s book Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You https://www.therippedbodicela.com/book/9781400327850
Be blessed,
Mark
Author of Holy Chaos How To Walk with God in a Frenzied World