Anxiety from external sources, like the media, can take control of our thoughts and, over time, it can gradually take control over our behavior too. When we worry about something our imagined outcomes start to gain traction in our minds, making the risk seem larger and our ability to deal with them smaller. I think most of us may have experienced something of this during the recent regional conflict where uncertainty prevailed.
What we put our attention on has power over us. Worry can cause us to delay decisions, miss opportunities and our hesitation can mean that we avoid making positive changes. Often the danger does not lie in the external situation, but in the space it occupies in our thoughts. Endless time spent trying to solve imagined problems wears away at our energy and mental well-being.
Shifting our focus toward this present moment and taking action that corresponds to the present reality can help to reduce the hold anxious thoughts have over us.
While external negative influences will continue to exist around us, we do not need to allow them to be the drivers of our destiny.
Although we may be unable to influence our circumstances or the behavior of others, the most beneficial influence is in our ability to have control over our thoughts and the capacity it gives us to navigate our lives. Ask yourself:
Does worry really bring you certainty and calm? Instead recognize when your need for certainty takes over and try to focus on accepting uncertainty.
Marie Byrne has over 20 years’ experience in the field of positive psychology using a holistic approach and she has helped people from different backgrounds to cope with stress, change, loss and trauma. Marie manages a successful practice in the UAE and UK for more than 20 years, creating and delivering tailored one to one counseling sessions. Symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety and panic attacks are often the reason people reach out to Marie for help. One to one counselling sessions allows a person to fully engage with their inner feelings and thoughts and with guidance they can unravel and make sense of them.