Brendan & Lori O'Gara

I worry about big things and little things. I worry if there is enough food in the kitchen. I worry that my husband may or may not have remembered to eat. Sometimes he forgets with his PTSD brain. I worry that my kids are not safe, even my grown adult daughter who lives in Texas 730 miles or so away. I couldn’t get there in a hurry if she wasn’t safe. I worry did I lock the car when I got out of it or the house when I left. I worry that I am going to get that call form my children’s school saying there is something wrong or from the hospital saying my mom is there.

What can I do about any of that or any other thing I worry about? I can buy food, call my husband, tell my children that I love them and remind them to follow the rules. Call my adult daughter and mother, check in with them let them know I am here if they need me. I can set reminders on my phone to remind me to lock doors. I would still worry.

I worry less now than I did a few years ago. I can talk myself off the ledge sometimes. I know worry is not productive. I know that most of the time I can’t fix any of what could happen if it actually happen and it doesn’t happen.

For my year of Focused Simplicity, I have made it a point to stop worry when it starts. Thus far, and it is only February, I have been successful about 80% of the time. The other 20% I have just been a little slower on the realization that the worry was spiraling our of my control.

Worry is a lie your brain tells your anxiety so that the irrational side of your thoughts can be in control of you.

Breathe. Stop worry when it starts. Give the logical rational part of your brain a slap, tell it to wake up and calm down before your heart freaks out.