Most of us have this habit of fussing about the things that might happen the next day, week, month or year. I don’t say that it’s bad to make plans ahead. But some people don’t worry about the future because it can damage the present, which makes a lot of sense.
Worrying too much is not a productive thing to do especially if it’s already part of our routine unconsciously. And when that happens, instead of giving us any resolutions to our problems, it just adds more pressure to us.
I, myself create and imagine scenarios inside my head about stuff that might or might not happen in the future. Some thoughts made me uncertain about how where my career will take me, and how will I be able to make my goals turn into reality, etc. I envy those people who just go with the flow of life and see if things will work out the next day.
As I look back, I realized how worrying too much spoils the present life of a person. It only doesn’t bring any good to us but also can swallow us whole down the drain of negativity. We all have control over how we think about things.
So, I practice these habits and start to stop worrying about the future.
1. Living in the present and being mindful.
As I’ve mentioned, thinking about things that are still not happening can keep us from enjoying the present. However, if we just focus on what we have and do right now, then life would be a bit easier. Being engaged with our surroundings, the people we hang out with and accepting the situation we are in can help us make better decisions.
I admit that in the past, I made a lot of bad decisions that lead me to get into tricky situations. Yet, I never regret experiencing all of it because I wouldn’t be the kind of person I am today without it. And reliving the past can only bring us a burden which is not a good thing for anyone.
That’s why I practice living in the present and starting my day by thinking of the things that I need or want to do in a day. Some may not contribute any good to my future. But as long as I’m happy and I enjoyed doing it, then I know it’s still worth it. Keeping a journal helps me to be into it as well.
2. Being more willing to take chances.
Taking chances even if we’re not sure if it will work out or not is one of the things that we should all learn how to practice. It’s normal to feel scared because of the uncertainties but consider it as a learning process that worth the risks.
Some days, I feel unsure about my decisions in life but I just get along the roller coaster ride of it. I accept the challenges I face along the way and I’ll handle the result afterwards. Being flexible with the way I think about things helps me a lot to get away from negative thinking rut and get stuck.
3. Having a sense of perspective.
Taking back and assessing the situations from different angles can prevent us from stressing over things that have a small possibility to happen. When we do this, the less anxiety we experience and much peace of mind it gives us.
When dealing with my problems, I have some exaggerated thoughts going on in my mind from time to time. But the good thing about that is I feel relax knowing that most of those things are less likely to happen in reality. And that can help me decide what’s the right solution to do with it.
4. Figuring out the main cause of the worry.
For us to think of the resolution, let us know first what’s the reason why we get bothered about something. What leads us from worrying is when we don’t know what made us think about it in the first place. In some cases, the solution is just simple but because we overthink things, it creates more issues.
5. Setting a scheduled time for worrying.
It’s not healthy when we always worry. It can affect the way we live as well as the relationship we have with the people around us. We tend to forget to enjoy life. Give a few minutes of our time in a day to think that makes us worry. And evaluate what are the problems that we should focus on finding a solution then set aside the ones that are not. When the time is done, then we can begin to do something else.
In my case, I give myself at least 10 minutes a day to do practice this habit. It has helped me to become more productive for the remaining times I have left.
6. Being confident that things can be handled.
When we are confident, there’s a huge chance that we know how to handle our problems well. It may not be all the time, but we see the positive outcomes even in the worst situations.
I’m turning 27 this year and I want to make the most of my 26. Thinking about the future gives me anxiety so I don’t give more time and effort to lay out my plans for it. I just want to enjoy every minute, second, and hour of my days. Life is so short to waste and try to figure out all I want to have in a year, 5 or 10 years from now. Let’s just all celebrate the mornings we wake up and the nights we rest and try to live a happy life.
Thank you so much for reading!