In the midst of economic recessions, it is easy to succumb to the stress of the situation. Easy to worry about how will we pay for the unexpected car repairs, the kid's broken arm, the new furnace. One of the most important lessons I learned when our pocketbooks were strained during the last recession was how wasteful an emotion worry is.I come from a family of worriers. But a few years ago, I read an article that helped to put worry into perspective for me. It said that if you want to eliminate a good amount of suffering in this world, stop worrying. See, if you worry about something bad happening and indeed something bad does happen, you will have suffered twice. If you worry and nothing bad happens, you still will have suffered. Wow, so simple and so true!
And my life has not been the same ever since. I'd like to say I never worry, but that would be not quite true. But I have cut out about ninety percent of the unnecessary stress I had been putting on myself, and I have never been happier. Now when I do find my mind wandering into negative territory, I try to make some time to smell the roses (or daisies or peonies or carnations or lilies). Taking a time out from the tough stuff is essential, especially when life throws you one curve ball after another.
Spend a few minutes in your garden (and if you don't have one, why not? :-) or in a nearby park to clear your head and put the world back into perspective. And most importantly, try living without worry for a day or two, and see if your life doesn't become sunnier. :-D
