Does it help to acknowledge the worried part of you if there really is something to worry about? Read on…
A Reader writes:
You write that I should say Hello to a part of me that is worried. But what if there is really something to worry about? We’re very short on money since I’ve had to cut back on work to take care of my aging mother. I’m not getting enough sleep because I’m stressing at night about what to do, and then I’m so tired in the day.
Dear Reader:
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re having to go through all that. It sounds very hard.
And you definitely need enough clarity to be able to make clear decisions about what to do, how to allocate your resources, and where to get some help. There are matters that need your urgent attention.
But here is something that I find quite amazing: There is a difference between seeing that something needs urgent attention, and worrying.
We think that worrying helps, but in fact worrying actually decreases our effectiveness.
Assessing that a situation needs attention, and then making choices, and then acting on those choices, is not helped by worry.
So if you say Hello to the part of you that is stressing and worried to the point of losing sleep, you are increasing your ability to make wise choices… because you are dis-identifying from the part of you that is worried, so it is not in the driver’s seat.
Try saying “Something in me is worried…” and then say “and I intend to do my best.” That may help you feel the difference between a worried part of you, and your own intention to take care of your situation as best you can.
