Hurricane Irma really took a toll on Florida. Not only was there physical damage, there was emotional damage. Most people do not like change and evacuation was quite a change. Many people in Florida are still reacting to these changes even though the hurricane happened in September. We worried for over a week before the hurricane hit and we worried while we were evacuated and while the hurricane hit. Strangely enough, many of us are still worrying and feeling strange after we realized that we don’t have much damage and all was safe. Many of us worry too much. We worry before, during and after the event. Recently, I learned how never to worry again. I would like to share this technique with you.
First, the event will happen and we will react to the event in one way or another. It is up to us if we will worry. These are separate actions; reacting to an event and worrying. Let me give an example of Jane. Jane worries about not having enough money to pay all of her bills on time. This is the worry. Jane is doing everything she can do to get money to pay all of her bills. She has a good job, she sells cosmetics on the side, and she has always paid her bills on time. Jane pays her bills but her expenses keep going up. This is the event.
Next, Jane will continue to work and pay her bills. She will do her best to get money whether she worries or not. Now, how does she not worry? Jane uses this technique. Picture standing on a square with three squares to your right and three squares to your left. You are in the middle – in neutral. When we start to worry we move to the first square to the left. Jane thinks, “I am so worried that I can’t pay my bills. My expenses keep going up and I have only so much money that I have been bringing in. I am doing my best but what if I can’t pay a bill?” Then, she takes another step to the left to the next square and thinks, “If I can’t pay my bills, I will lose my house, I will go bankrupt, I will have to move in with my parents.” If she worries even more she moves to the last square on the left and thinks, “I can’t live with my parents. I will have to move out and I will be homeless, I won’t have health care and I will get sick and die.” Huge worry. The end.
NOW, consider moving to the right instead. Instead of worry, she thinks, “Even though I only get so much income from work my business can pick up and I can sell more cosmetics. I can start paying off some credit card bills.” Then she takes another step to the right and thinks, “hmmmm, I paid off all of my credit cards and I am now saving money! Now, I have so much money in my checking account and savings account. I can now pay all of my bills electronically and never have to worry about physically paying a bill again!” Then another step to the right and thinks, “I now have so much money that I go on exotic vacations, I love my job and just got a raise! I am the diamond queen status in my cosmetics job and I win free trips. All is great!”
Finally, the event will happen but you do not have to worry. You will work and pay your bills – the event. But, if you went to the right and tell yourself the more and more positive stories you feel better! Go ahead and try it for yourself. You really will feel better! Now, when I first tried this I thought, “this is crazy, because I think positively does not mean that my bills will be paid!” That is correct but remember, the event is different than the worry. You will still do everything you can for the event. It is up to you what you THINK about the event. So, think the positive and feel better and keep doing the best you can. Events will happen whether you worry or not. So, why go down the path to the left when you can think positively and feel so much better? The event will happen either way and you will do your best if you worry or do not worry. So, don’t worry. Use this technique and never worry again.
This technique took me some time to “perfect”. I worked at it. When I started to worry I would use this technique and I did feel better. I still did the event. I still worked my hardest at whatever I did. Now, when I find my thoughts move to the negative and start to worry, I quickly stop my thoughts and switch them to the right and more positive thoughts. I try to move myself all the way to the right until I laugh at the wonderful feeling and the exaggeration of that thought. I feel better, not worried. Try this technique, let me know if it works for you.
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