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July 22nd, 2006
OUR FEARS AND WORRIES CAN DISTORT
THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION
by Stan Popovich
At times, our worries and anxieties can overwhelm
us. In addition, our worries can distort our perception
of what is reality and what is not. Here is a brief
list of techniques that you can use to help gain a
better perspective on things during your anxious moments.
When feeling anxious, stop what you are doing and
try to do something relaxing. A person should take
a deep breath and try to find something to do for
a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem.
A person could get some fresh air, listen to some
music, or do an activity that will give them a fresh
perspective on things.
Remember that our fearful thoughts are exaggerated
and can make the problem worse. A good way to manage
your worry is to challenge your negative thinking
with positive statements and realistic thinking. When
encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious,
challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions
that will maintain objectivity and common sense.
When overwhelmed with worry, a person may encounter
a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once.
Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts
are exaggerated and are not based on reality. From
my interviews with various professionals, I’ve
learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts
that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these
thoughts and your worry should decrease.
Be smart in how you deal with your fears and anxieties.
Do not try to tackle everything all at once. When
facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms
you with a lot of anxiety, break the task into a series
of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one
at a time will make the stress more manageable and
increases your chances of success.
Remember that all the worrying in the world will
not change anything. Most of what we worry about never
comes true. Instead of worrying about something that
probably won’t happen, concentrate on what you
are able to do. Everything else you can leave in the
hands of God.
In every anxiety-related situation you experience,
begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work,
and what you need to improve on in managing your fears
and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety
and you decide to take a walk to help you feel better.
The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself
that you got through it the last time by taking a
walk. This will give you the confidence to manage
your anxiety the next time around.
It is not easy to deal with all of our fears and
worries. When your fears and anxieties have the best
of you, try to calm down and then get the facts of
the situation. The key is to take it slow. All you
can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best,
and when something does happen, take it in stride.
Take it one step at a time and things will work out.
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