"Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength."  Carrie Ten Bloom

Worry in a Good Way

Think about a time when you played over and in your mind the worst case scenario. Your spouse or child is late coming home. You worry that they may be in the ditch, in the
hospital or worse case dead. Your imagination runs wild with thoughts and ideas about how bad things could be. This happened for us when our daughter began driving and
that is when the cell phone, for us, became the greatest invention ever. Become solution oriented, not problem oriented.

A recent client shared with me that she use to worry about what would happen if her car broke down on the turnpike. Instead of worrying about it every time she used that highway, she decided to take action and ask the toll booth attendant what would happen and what she should do. Now she feels comfortable when she is driving because she knows what to do.

Another client was going to have an elective surgery and began to worry about all sorts of things that could go wrong. We worked on addressing all the worries that she had and
played the "What can you do to make sure that this isn't a problem?" game. We covered things like making sure she was comfortable with the surgeon she choose, finding
someone to care for her during her recovery, down to making sure she had someone to take care of her cat while she was laid up.

Some of our worries are a total waste of time and energy. A friend of mine recently became a grandmother. When she first heard that her daughter was going into labor, she began to worry about all the horrible things that could happen to her daughter and the new baby. In this situation, there is absolutely nothing that she could do to prevent any of her worries. It was totally out of her hands. In this case, you need to spend your
time worrying in a good way. Focus on everything turning our wonderfully. Think about the solutions that are already in place. She has a wonderful doctor, she's in a hospital that is prepared for any situation and the mother and father have prepared themselves for this event as much as possible. At some point, in any situation, we have to let go and have faith that everything will turn out for the best. And, if something does occur, you will have the ability to handle it.

"One of the nice things about problems is that a good many of them do not exist except in our imaginations."  Steve Allen

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Action Challenge

Worry in a Good Way!

Next time you catch yourself worrying about a person or situation, stop and come up with some solutions that will make you feel empowered. Become proactive. What actions
can you take to eliminate your worry?

If there is nothing you can do in the situation, let it go and imagine the best possible outcome. Them make a mental list or written list of why the situation can and will turn out
fine.

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