Are you suffering from unnecessary worrying?

Well, it’s holiday season…which means a lot of joy, and a lot of chaos (Amazon prime is my new best friend).

If you’re feeling a bit frazzled or your inner dialogue sounds anything like mine; “Don’t forget to get those chocolate chips for the kids’ holiday party at school…oh, and you still need to rsvp to Alison’s party…and finish that project at work this week…have you ordered a gift for your aunt’s cousin’s sister’s friend yet?! Oh, gee I love holiday songs, FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA.”

(It ain’t pretty living in my head on the best of days.)

Let’s just all take a deep breath and relax. Sloooooow down.

To help with the holiday stress, here’s a great meditation to stop worrying (at least for a little while!):

If you enjoyed this short, guided meditation, you’ll love our FREE 30 Day Meditation Challenge!

Unnecessary (or unproductive) worrying.

Here are some of the most common worries I hear; Safety of my kids, family, health, aging parents, job security and money.

In the movie Bridge of Spies, there’s a character who is accused of being a spy and yet remains incredibly calm in the face of a likely death sentence. At one point, Tom Hanks’ character asks him; “Do you never worry?” And the man replies simply, matter-of-factly; “Would it help?”

Worrying and worrying…does it help?

The next time you’re worrying about something, ask yourself; “Does this help?” 

Most of the time, it’s unproductive worrying. You can simply notice, thank the thought or the worry, and then let it go.

Repetitive worrying or imagining all the things you have to do can cause you to feel stressed out and overwhelmed. It’s like you’re completing a task 17 times because you think about doing it 16 times before you even take action. It’s exhausting! 

We often worry about things that are out of our control or in the future. 

Will my kids be safe? Am I going to make enough money next year?

Instead, try three simple steps to turn unproductive worrying into productive action:

1. Quiet Your Mind.
Use the Let Go of Worry meditation (see above). Or join the Free 30 Day Meditation Challenge.

2. Thank and Release.
Thank the worry or the thought for showing up, saying; “Thank you for trying to help me, but I’ve got this. I release you with love.”

3. Take Productive Action.
Decide WHAT you want to do and BY WHEN you’ll do it. Write it down (What: ________  By When: ________ ). Or put it in your calendar. If there’s no action you can take to improve the situation, surrender your need for control. Go back to Step 2 and release the worry thought.

Now we’d love to hear from you!  Let us know below, what are your most common worries? And what helps you stop worrying?

We really would love to hear from you! Leave a comment now.

May you let go of worry and find deep stillness and peace this holiday season and every season,

Vanessa

P.S.  Don’t forget to tell your friends and family to join us in the (Free) 30 Day Meditation Challenge! They can sign up here:

https://vanessaloder.com/30-day-challenge