I am writing this post with the intention of helping both you and I, well, worry less and try to actually live our lives. In today’s society, it’s really easy to get caught up in everything that is constantly being thrown at us: school stress, job searches, family, friends, health problems, social media – I mean everything. so, how do we sort through this clutter we call life? we’re about to find out. 

I think one of the biggest keys to worrying less is to figure out what is worrying you the most. This seems painfully obvious, I know, but how often do you sit back and really assess what is causing you the most negativity in your life? Another important thing to consider is: what do you actually have control over in your life?

Unfortunately, school is one of those things you don’t and won’t have much control over in your life. You can’t stop assignments from coming, you can’t stop classes from existing, and you can’t study every minute of your life to get perfect grades. This is something you and I, both, need to acknowledge and accept. However, one major thing in your life that you can control is the people.

I really don’t know how to avoid putting this harshly, but people can be a really major source of unnecessary worry. Be it worrying about what they think, why they do what they do, where your relationships are going – it can really add up. a major realization of this year is that I’ve kept around a lot of people who do not deserve the worry I’ve been giving them.

I don’t mean this to be spiteful, and I’m certainly not telling you to burn bridges, but sometimes distance is really helpful and necessary. Look at it this way, how often does someone’s actions (or lack thereof) put that horrible pit in your stomach? If the answer is more often than not, this is something you really need to consider. Does this person truly deserve your time?

It’s easy to stay around the things that give us comfort. Think about any addiction: it’s something You need to break for a reason. I truly think some of us are addicted to worry. I can’t say I blame myself, and you certainly shouldn’t either. Nonetheless, you need to keep saying to yourself, “Is this really worth my energy?”

Worrying and stress go hand in hand. The reason we stress is because we worry about and fear the consequences of something going wrong or differently than how we picture it in our heads. You can’t lead your life crippled by worry, because you will be sabotaging not only your ability to handle the present, but your opportunities to move forward as well. And what do you think that is going to cause? MORE WORRY.

I know this is one of those “way easier said than done” things. Believe me, I know it oh so well. I’m telling you, though, taking an objective perspective and questioning the worth of worry is extremely helpful. I think a lot of times we let our vision get horrendously clouded by our emotions, and it can really steer us in an unhealthy direction. Save your energy for the things that help you grow, and worry about the things that are necessary to worry about (just not too much!) anything that does not fall into either of these categories is simply not worth your time, energy, or worry.

Truly,
taylor