I’m sure a lot of people who sent out those “2020 will be better” statuses on social media are feeling like they spoke too soon.

Sure, this year has been tough – and it’s only March.

Januworry had us all scraping pennies together, then we entered yet another recession and to top it all off, coronavirus has gone fully global, and has reached South African shores. 

After watching two people fight over  the last bottle of hand sanitiser in Clicks the other day, it’s become apparent that the stress levels countrywide are at an all-time high.

The problem with elevated stress is that it lowers your immune system, and unless you’re dosing yourself with vitamin C like it’s your job, or even better, getting your vitamins mainlined through an IV, you’re probably going to feel the effects at some point.

But ‘don’t worry, be happy’, is not as easy as that song makes it sound.

Per The Ladders:

A survey of 2,000 millennials showed that the average respondent spent the equivalent of 63 full days a year worried and stressed out. That’s like two months lost to worry. The ultra-bestselling American pop psychologist Wayne Dyer calls worry a “useless emotion”.

Here are four ways to train yourself to let go of that ‘useless emotion’ and live a little more.

Find Your Stop-Loss-Point

If you find yourself spiralling into a cycle of worry, stop and ask yourself where your stop-loss point is.

By giving every worry a limitation, you’re not allowing it to control you but you become mindful about everything occupying your mind and choose to focus on other things instead of digging deeper. It’s one way to retrain your brain to worry less and worry smarter.

Identify the worry, allow yourself a minute to think about it, then shove it aside in favour of something else that you can control.

Write It Down

Worrying is one of those things that very rarely leads to any kind of productive solution.

By writing down your worries, you feel as though you’re emptying your brain, and you feel lighter and less tense.

Take time to acknowledge your worries and write them down. Explore the roots of your worries or problems. Once you know the most important things you worry about, ask yourself if your worries are solvable.

If your worries are not solvable, acknowledge that they are out of your control and that there is nothing you can do to change them. Then focus on something that you can change, even if it’s a small task on your to-do list.

Shift Worries From Long-Term Problems To Daily Actions

Be proactive about the things in your life that you can control.

Do one thing every day that brings you closer to solving your perceived problem. Work toward improving the worst-case scenario, which you have already accepted in your mind.

Write down how you will deal with them even if they happen. Think of a solution for all your perceived problems. For example, if your financial situation makes you anxious, you need to create a plan to earn more or spend less or invest some of your savings in low-risk investment opportunities.

If you need some help getting your personal finances in order, instead of tackling them on your own, bring in an expert.

Consequence Private Wealth is available to assist with advice for those who want to start getting their financial affairs in order. In other words, they’ll partner with you to protect and build your wealth so that you have one less thing to worry about

Give them a ring on 021 674 2222, or mail info@consequence.co.za, for further details.

Interrupt The Worry Cycle

If you worry all the time, find activities that you know will distract you.

Keep busy. Get up and get moving — exercise is a natural way to break the cycle because it releases endorphins which relieve tension and stress, boost energy, and enhance your sense of well-being.

You can also distract yourself by doing something completely unrelated and different that forces you to focus on something else. This is most effective if you choose an activity you deeply care about such as practicing your hobby or reading an exceptional book.

Learning to stop worrying can change your life significantly.

If it’s something you feel you cannot control – remember you don’t have to go it alone. There are professionals out there who can guide you through it.

Just keep calm, breathe and do your best to let it go.

[source:ladders]