Backstory
The lady next to me was wringing her hands. She had a “woe-is-me” look on her face and was obviously troubled. When she began sharing her problems, most seemed fixable or at least not worth drama. The interaction inspired these suggestions.
Worry
Why is it that some people seem laden with worry, and others just smile right through the potential calamity?
If you read the newspaper or watch television these days, you can be overcome by news of what has already gone wrong, what’s at risk of going wrong, or what has the potential to bring us harm and doom.
Meanwhile, if you look around you, chances are that very few of those cataclysmic potentials have actually affected you. Your home has not been foreclosed. You have not lost your job. Your teenagers actually love you and hold their own.
So how do we balance reasonable adult concern with worrying ourselves to pieces?
Ask yourself, “What is the worst that can happen?” Figure out how you would deal with that happening. Then move back into the world of here and now.
Don’t fuss about trifles. Keep yourself busy. Go smell the roses.
And if your yard has dandelions instead of roses, go out and pick some. Gather a bouquet and consider them Mother Nature’s gift to you for not worrying today.
P.S. Pollyanna wasn’t the author of this show. It was a mature woman, me, who has experienced enough of life to preach the futility of worry. Better to make a list, create some realistic goals, and set out to fix whatever has been haunting you.
[Show #196]
