Why I Do Not Worry

  

Why I Do Not Worry


Worry is defined as a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Years ago on a trip to Dublin, Ireland I bought a souvenir – “A Worry Stone”. It is a small flat rock with an indentation in the middle. It is meant to take a worrier’s attention away from their concerns just by rubbing the stone in their pocket. I am not a worrier type, but what got my attention was a story printed on the package (I will adapt it to the current worries). “There are only two things to worry about – will I get infected with the coronavirus or not. If not, there is nothing to worry about. If yes, there are only two things to worry about – Will I get over or not? If I will get over, there is nothing to worry about, if not, there are two things to worry about – Will I live or I will die? If I will live, there is nothing to worry about, if I will die, there are two things to worry about – Will I get to heaven or to hell? If I go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about, if I will get to hell, I will meet so many old friends, I will not have time to worry.”

One of the reasons I do not worry is that I have no time for this occupation, since I always expect a positive outcome and focus my attention on what I WANT, rather than the opposite. In our lives we are surrounded with a lot of negativity. In his book “Thinking Fast and Slow”, Daniel Kahneman points out that the survival mechanism is built on recognizing danger; therefore, we pay more attention to the potential threat. The media is using our propensity for fear by feeding us with scary stories. This leads to worrying about our future. The major problem with this is that constant worry leads to emotional stress, which can trigger many other health problems. To avoid worrying, I follow a piece of advice from the book “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein; “Your car goes where your eyes go”. We all have choices. While I follow the protocol related to the current medical conditions, I focus on the well-being of my family and helping my clients. Since I intend to live a long and productive life, I take care of my body and my soul by strengthening my immune system and avoiding negative information. In Russian there is a saying, “A healthy mind in a healthy body”. I believe it is my healthy mind which prevents me from worry. I am a firm believer that all things in life happen for a reason, and there are only good reasons, and therefore, there is nothing to worry about.

P.S. One evening during the Shelter in Place, I decided to go out to photograph the empty streets. I drove to Castro Street and there I found a lot of lights in the midst of the darkness. The next morning the streets were still empty, but filled with the light of the sun, and this happened without us worrying about it.

Enjoy and Share with a Friend and Do Not Worry!

Manny Signature