Spend a little time on the Internet, watch the news, or read the paper and you will likely experience slightly elevated blood pressure, a tension headache, or a restless night of sleep. Between the world economy, political smear campaigns, and the increase in rioting activity, there is plenty in the news to get our "worry" juices flowing. Add to this a few of our own personal challenges and it is easy to see why people are feeling weighed down by the uncertainty of the future.
As I was thinking about our natural tendency to worry, I actually found myself conflicted as to whether or not worrying is justifiable. At some level, worrying can be synonymous with caring. Assuming we aren’t donning a pair of rose colored glasses, it would be impossible not to care about what is going on in the world. But, therein lies the difference and the answer to my question. Worrying is not justifiable.
It is most certainly appropriate to have concern and to care, but spending time worrying about what "might" happen never proves to have positive results. If you think about it, when is the last time you can remember thinking, “Wow, am I glad I worried all night long about my issue, because it really made a big difference in the result"? If you are honest with yourself, the answer is probably never.
It would be an interesting activity if we were willing to track the amount of brain time we dedicate to worrying for two weeks. For some, it may be a few hours. For others, it might be a few days. If we can grasp the concept that is not worth it, what might we replace that time with? Would we become more creative? More generous with our time helping others? More happy in general? I believe the answer is yes.
I read a sign on a wall the other day and it was a great reminder to close this post with: “Sorrow looks down, Worry looks all around, and Faith looks up."
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