Are you an o

ver thinker? Do you worry about everything? Let’s keep in mind, less is more in regards to worry. Thinking about something and analyzing the pros and cons to make a decision is one thing but to overthink or worry excessively is referred to as rumination. Rumination is often overwhelming and counter productive to problem solving.

Worry or rumination is also linked to an inability to tolerate uncertainty which is an attitude that a lot of people have towards life. When you operate with this type of attitude, uncertainty, unpredictability, and doubt are seen as awful and unbearable experiences that should be avoided at all costs.

If you operate with this mindset, then you may perceive worrying to be useful….. let me tell you a secret…… It’s not and your just wasting time…..

Remember less is more, in regards to worry. As such, I’ve got some strategies designed to take you from a WORRIER to a WARRIOR!

Let’s get into it…….

Let’s say you find yourself overthinking things or feeling trapped in a vicious cycle of worrying. Identify dedicated worry time. Pick a specific time each day when your going to allow yourself to focus on any worries. Allow yourself 15-20 mins of worry time. If you find yourself worrying at anytime before this designated period, reminder yourself to put it off until the designated time. Even take it a step further and set reminder alarm.

I’ve also got a distraction method for you…

• Find a rubber band that will fit loosely on your wrist and when you notice that your beginning to worry pull back the rubber band and snap your wrist

• This will send a signal to your brain and focus your attention away from worry thoughts or worry images

• However, please note, this isn’t a method to over use or to use in isolation. I am not advocating self harm by any means.

Lastly, a big part of being a worry wart is associated with an intolerance of uncertainty and a lack of acceptance...we worry because we feel like we need to control things to be okay. We also worry because we have no idea how things will ultimately turn out. So what’s the solution? Let it go! How? You can challenge your need for certainty….this is important because the need for certainty is irrational…. nothing is certain in life…..so to operate under that assumption is to set yourself up for failure….

You can challenge you need for certainty by asking:

• Can I ever really achieve certainty?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of demanding certainty ?

• Do I predict bad things when I am uncertain? Could good things be just as likely to happen?

• What is the probability of what I predict happening?

• Are there times I can tolerate uncertainty? What do I do then ?

• How do others tolerate uncertainty? Can I learn from them?

#healthyliving #holistic #wellness #motivation #happy #inspiration #wellnesswarrior #positivity #wellnesslifestyle #holisticwellness #balance #lifelessons #healthtalk