How to Stop Excessive Worry and Find Inner Peace

If you are looking to stop excessive worry so you can have some inner peace, you are not alone. Many of us worry needlessly and excessively and live our lives in fear, plagued with anxiety and a general overall feeling of uneasiness. To stop excessive worry, here are some tips that will help you reclaim your inner peace and joy.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A desire to stop excessive worry and become a more peaceful and relaxed person.
• A commitment to stop worrying excessively and have more positive, life-affirming thoughts.

1. Write down the five things that you worry excessively about. Only focus on these five major worries that seem to be on your mind on a daily basis.

2. Make sure that you order these concerns in your life that cause excessive worry from the highest to lowest. The thing, feeling, or thought that worries you the most should come first.

3. Determine what you can or cannot control with each worry. For example, if you are worried about having failing health, determine if this is something you can or cannot control. In this example, you can control how you take care of yourself by eating right, exercise, sleeping enough, and reducing stress. You can control parts of this worry, but of course not the entire worry itself.

4. Do not allow yourself to have excessive worry over the things you cannot control. You will waste valuable time and energy in your life worrying about these things.

5. Learn to stop excessive worry with “thought stopping”. Every time you catch yourself worrying excessively about things you cannot control, say “STOP”. Picture a big stop sign. This technique is very effective.

6. Give yourself 10 minutes per day to focus on your excessive worry. Set aside this time daily and use this time only for your worry. You may eventually stop doing this because you believe it is a waste of time, but you may need this time just to give you some time to feel your fears, and eventually move on to more productive activities.

7. When you have excessive worry about things you can control, just be sure to spend time in your daily life tending to these issues. For example, if you are worried about gaining weight and losing your attractive figure, commit to exercising and eating right on a daily basis.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient, as you did not develop a habit of excessive worry overnight. It will take time to develop new thinking patterns.
• If you worry excessively to the point where your highly anxious or depressed more often than not, professional counseling is highly recommended.

[michelletee]

on 10/11/2009 thanks so much for the comment. :) I really appreciate it a lot. All the best to you. :)

[frugalmomi]

on 10/11/2009 I think this is good article for dealing with the anxiety a lot of us feel now . I like the stop sign approach , I was usually just talking to myself and praying and telling myself you know I am not God I do not control the universe , but I will try that . Thanks 5*