What Happens When You Stop Worrying — Megan Ladd

My friend Kelly shared this New Yorker cartoon last week, and I loved it SO much that I had to share it with you:

*Source: New Yorker Cartoon Poster Print by Will McPhail at the Condé Nast Collection*

I mean, how on point is that?! Our minds LOVE to worry.

Worry feels important, and gives us a false sense of control.

We think that if we survey the land and anticipate all of the obstacles ahead of time, we’ll somehow be more prepared for them if and when they show up. But the truth is...worry is a HUGE waste of time!

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND WORRYING?

Think about something that you often worry about.

How many days of the week do you worry about it?

How many minutes (or hours) a day?

Calculate what that adds up to on a weekly basis. I promise you could be putting that time to better use!

IF SHE CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU

One of my clients was spending an hour a day thinking about getting a part time job. She would spend that time brainstorming potential companies to work for, browsing job boards and LinkedIn, and discussing her options with her friends and family.

The time she was putting into worrying was time she wasn’t spending creating content or connecting with people or generating income. Once she let go of the worry, she was immediately flooded with ideas, inspiration, and new business opportunities!

She reclaimed 7 hours a week — and her sanity! Together we came up with a gameplan to make the best use of that extra time and streamline her efforts. She's now fully booked months out with client sessions and has already 5x’d her income.

GIVE IT A TRY

If you give up worry, you will 100% have access to more time, energy, and opportunities to generate income.

So, what are you waiting for?!

Any time you notice yourself worrying over the next day or two, silently (or audibly) say “stop” out loud and stop the thought in its tracks. I know that sounds funny, but it works! You can also call out what’s happening, like “this is my brain doing that worry thing again.”

Then, after doing either of the above, immediately switch your thoughts to something else. Get up and walk around, do some stretches, or step outside. Don’t indulge in the worry for a second longer once you realize what’s happening. It takes discipline, but it gets easier with practice.

You can also click this link to check out last week’s post about what to do when you feel anxious, and apply those same principles to worry. And, if all else fails, I'm pretty sure it's impossible to listen to this Lion King classic and not feel better :)

Hakuna matata,