I’m A Thinker, Not Just A Worrier

I worry, as do many of the people I see weekly. I worry about how I’ll be received, how the state of my community will be tomorrow or a month from now, how my practice is doing. I worry about my health and that of my loved ones. There is no lack of things in my world to worry over. This is true regardless of how well or badly my life is going at any given moment.

Worry is one of my biggest coping mechanisms. It has a lot of seemingly positive value: it helps me feel as though I’m being responsible in thinking through what might happen so that I can better prepare for the future; it distracts me from acting on something I don’t want to do; it’s even entertaining as I spiral into a darker and darker stories of what might happen.

The truth? What I end up worrying about are the worst case scenarios – those scenarios that are least likely to ever happen. They stress me out and if I dwell on them too long, begin to actually impact my health. While I’m obsessing over a worry, I am not getting done what I planned or promised, which in the end doesn’t make me feel very good about myself.

Most importantly, it makes me feel weak and ineffective – it robs me of my strength.

Well, as I said, I’m a worrier. It’s natural for me because I’m a thinker – worrying and thinking often go hand in hand. Wouldn’t it better for me to use that capacity to look at more likely scenarios and plan for those?

Quote of the Week

Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.

-Corrie Ten Boom

How to stay calm when you know you’ll be stressed

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I had mentioned in my newsletter a few weeks ago that I was planning an online get-together about setting intentions. Unfortunately, I then came down with an illness and wasn't able to do so. If you are still interested, let me know by leaving your email address here. 

Maryanne Nicholls is a Registered Psychotherapist.  To find out more, gain access to her weekly newsletter, meditations and programs, sign up at www.thejoyofliving.co . 

If you’re interested in the topic of avoiding burnout for people who do too much, you may be interested in checking out my youtube channel.