Don't worry it away

  • Published
  • By Capt. Troy Fiesel
  • 934th Airlift Wing Executive Officer
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION --  "I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened"
― Mark Twain

I have always loved this quote from Mr. Twain. How often do we worry about an event or situation only to realize at some point in the future, there was nothing to stress over at all?
 
Worry, anxiety, stress...whatever you want to label the emotion, can steal so much from us. Sleep, appetite, ability to focus, energy, job performance and social relationships can all be negatively affected by our inability to let things go.
But how do we do this? How do we let things go when there are so many demands and responsibilities in our daily lives? How do we lower our stress levels when there is so much uncertainty in the world?

Two questions you should always ask when faced with a particular worry or concern:

1. Is what I am worrying about really as bad as I am making it out to be?
2. Am I underestimating my ability to cope/deal with this?

Often times, when we worry, we make a situation much worse or overwhelming in our minds. When it comes down to it, worry usually takes us to a worst case scenario that can be based in irrational thinking.

Secondly, when we worry, we usually underestimate our ability to cope with the topic of concern. Because we can be consumed with fear and irrational thought, we forget about the other times in our lives when we successfully overcame obstacles. We further forget or neglect to look for the social support and all the available resources that will assist with any challenge.

So as our wing enters into this phase of uncertainty, remember the two questions to ask.. Remember the quote from Mr. Twain. Most importantly, remember that no one is guaranteed tomorrow, so focus on the today and don't worry it away!