Worrying about something occasionally is part of life. But when worries start squeezing out other thoughts, then you may be wrestling with the “Warts of Worry.”
This occurs when there are multiple sources of perceived stress in your life. I emphasize “perceived” because what stresses one person may not effect another. As perceived stress intensifies, it may lead to frequently asking worrisome questions or second-guessing yourself. Some people experience it so often that most of their thoughts are worried ones.
Think about it: how many times have you worried for a long period of time over something and then handle it just fine when the the worrisome situation occurs? Anticipatory anxiety is almost always worse than facing the actual event itself.
One of the best techniques for “worry busting” is consciously focussing your mind on what’s going on at this moment. This is also referred to as mindfulness. By using your senses to notice what’s going on around you, you’ll find that there’s little room for the Warts of Worry. While this can be quite challenging for women because we tend to multi-task constantly, with daily practice and redirecting your attention to the present, you’ll be evicting those Warts quicker than you imagine!
Stacey Glaesmann, LPC has a private counseling practice in Pearland, Texas and specializes in treating perinatal mood disorders. She wrote her first book, “What About Me? A Simple Guide to Self-Care in the 21st Century” in 2007. She can be reached through her website at http://www.pearlandtherapy.com.
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