Working with Worry

Worry is our function of taking a best guess at worst case... and mentally + physically gearing up for it to happen. Although having an understanding of possible outcomes is a helpful skill to navigate life, carrying the worst has its implications.

Worry is usually rooted in a place of good intention. I want to be safe. I want my loved ones to be safe. I want... to make the right move, be cautious, be less troublesome, ensure everyone thinks highly of (...). But when we take a more objective look, we see worry is also a mobilizer for control, distrust, and dis-ease. 

The curious thing about worry is that our bodies and minds know almost no difference between a worry and a reality. Worry generates the same stress hormones as the actual infliction, mirroring the same stress load - as if the worst case is exactly what has occurred. Sustained high levels of cortisol and adrenaline result in a tangible ripple of dis-ease that stems from the seeds of elevated heart rate and blood pressure, poor sleep and digestion, and muscle tension. The emblematic blooms are often that of anxiety, a weakened immune system, and a ripple of system malfunctions and pain. Maybe this is point enough to take steps in disarming and redirecting the intentions within worry... because we know there is no benefit to worry anyhow.

So... worry less then? Easier said than enacted, of course. When working with worry, it is a patient process of unpacking and exploring the roots. What is it we are trying to communicate, or protect, with worry? Where can I redirect the expended energy into reasonable action on something that is within my control? And where can I disarm the worry by exercising greater trust in others' abilities and in God's hand?

Though well intended, worry is wasted -- wasted time, wasted energy. If this is a spiral you find yourself caught in, please reach out. Let's work with the worry and allow your good intentions to gain new modes of expression.

In health,
Amy Rena Erickson