Worrying is a normal reaction to uncertainty, but when worrying becomes excessive and chronic, the toll it takes can affect both your mental and physical health. Anxiety can disrupt your thoughts, drain your energy, and hinder you from fully enjoying your life phase. If you find yourself trapped in an ongoing cycle of worry and anxiety, always feeling stress and fear, know that you are by no means alone, as millions of people worry every day. But let me ask you this, can you possibly stop worrying, and actually, be happy? Yes, you can. In this blog, we will begin with the science of worry, and most importantly, we will look into ways to stop worrying, and find genuine and lasting happiness. If you often overthink, feel anxious about what’s next, or can’t seemingly enjoy the present moment, this blog is for you.
Why Do We Worry?
Worrying is a normal human function because our brains are designed to always be looking ahead for anything that might be of concern to keep us vigilant for change. Worrying can be productive or nonproductive and often worrying too much can have negative consequences that lead to stress, anxiety and other health problems. Let us clarify, productive worrying can lead us to act appropriately, for example, worrying about our performance on a test leads us to study. In contrast, nonproductive worrying often represents excessive rumination about things either partially or totally out of our control, such as what we should and shouldn’t do or what others think of us. The key to living a happy life is our ability to let go of nonproductive worrying while allowing thoughts to help us remind us to act in a productive manner, provide attention and directional attention to thinking positively and act appropriately to meaningful solutions than worry and stress.
Negative Effects of Worrying
Worrying too much can negatively influence mental, physical, and overall health. If you are worrying most days of the week, it can turn into anxiety and depression from a mental health viewpoint, affect concentration, and decrease self-esteem. Often, chronic worry will also lead to irritability and mood swings, which can affect your day-to-day life. From a physical health view, chronic worry can lead to chronic stress which may present itself as high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. Chronic worry can negatively impact daily functioning and include physical symptoms related to the digestive system, like stomach pain and nausea.
Practical Ways to Stop Worrying and Be Happy
1. Identify Your Worries
The first step in addressing excessive worry is to recognize what you’re worrying about and evaluate the item. Ask yourself questions like Is this something I can control? Will worrying about this help me come up with a solution? and How likely is my fear to actually happen? Reasoning through these queries of thought can assist you in determining if these worries are legitimate issues, or simply needless worries. Writing out your worrying thoughts may also assist in clarity. You will be able to delineate practical problems from irrational fears and direct your energy toward a problem-focused response rather than sitting in uncertainty.
2. Identify the Source of Your Worries
The second step to tackling your worry is to identify the source of your worry. Keeping a log of your anxious thoughts, patterns, and triggers can help bring clarity to your thinking, and can help you break the cycle of worry.Â
3. Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
Our mindset significantly affects our reality, and when we notice ourselves worrying, we need to challenge that negative mindset. Ask yourself questions like, Is this a realistic statement? What’s the worst that can happen? How likely is it that the worst-case scenario will happen? and Can I do anything about this right now? Anytime you question or reframe your mindset, you’re transforming irrational fear into rational and thinking about positive mental viewpoints. You can also consider anxiety therapy in NYC to allow you to learn cognitive techniques to successfully work to manage and reduce those fears for healthier thinking, and peace of mind.
4. Live in the Present Moment
The majority of anxiety stems from either dwelling on the past or having anxiety for the future, but overcoming this anxiety means learning to live in the present moment. Mindfulness can direct your attention away from anxious thoughts to promote calmness and begin with your breath. Take a slow, deep breath to help ground you in the present moment. Take time to experience what is around you. Take notice of the colors, sounds, and smells of your surroundings. Participate in daily activities like eating, working, or speaking with others while you focus entirely on the present moment. When you ground yourself in the present moment, you decrease unnecessary worry, create room for true happiness or inner peace.
5. Focus on What You Can Control
Often, worrying stems from feeling out of control. You can start with writing down the things that you can influence, and take action with them—even if it is small. Anything that is out of your control, just think to let it be. There are also ways to learn reassurances to cope with your anxiety with anxiety counseling in NYC.
6. Engage in Activities That Bring Joy
Set aside time for hobbies and activities that elicit joy in you. This could be reading, painting, dancing, or just spending time with loved ones. These will refocus your attention away from your anxiety and to happy thoughts.
7. Connect with Others
Being isolated can increase anxiety. Consider connections with family, friends, or support groups. If your feelings are insurmountable, consider talking to an anxiety therapist in NYC, who can assist in a myriad of ways.
8. Seek Professional Help
If anxiety and worry are becoming unbearable, do not hesitate to ask for therapy or counseling. Mental health is as important as physical health. An anxiety therapist in NYC can help you to have coping mechanisms, and improve your overall mental health and well-being.
Conclusion
Worrying is a part of life, but it shouldn’t dictate how happy you are. By implementing the above mentioned strategies, you can take small steps toward your stress-free lifestyle. Whether you practice changing your thoughts, place value on self-care or anxiety therapy in NYC, you can alleviate chronic worry and cultivate happiness. If you’re having difficulty, don’t hesitate to reach out to an anxiety therapist in NYC. Remember, reaching out for help is not a weakness, but it is a step towards being a healthier, happier you.
