How can you stop worrying? Mindfulness and meditation. Deep breathing. Practice self-compassion. Do a body scan. Share your fears with friends and family. Practice gratitude. Keep an emotions journal. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. More items...
Are you ready to finally learn how to stop worrying? Everyone gets worried from time to time — in fact, 59% of adults reported a daily sense of worry in 2020. Whether you’re preparing for a big presentation or are going through personal changes, it’s normal to have the occasional sleepless night. However, too much worry can make it difficult to enjoy life. If you want to take back your life from anxiety and learn how to stop worrying, you’re in the right place. We’re here to share our best strategies for how to stop worrying. We’ll give you the tools you need to get your stress and worry under control.
What makes us worry? One of the keys to learning how to stop worrying is discovering the root of your fears. For better or for worse, worrying is part of how we’ve evolved as humans. Biologically, our central nervous system often responds to stress and fear by worrying. When this happens, the first step to stop worrying is to reflect on what exactly is causing your anxiety. Some feelings of worry can be healthy, pushing us to find solutions to real and present problems. However, chronic worry, even about things out of our control, can severely impact our mental health. The good news? There is a multitude of strategies to help us learn how to stop worrying, manage stress, and start thriving.
Am I worrying too much? If you have the occasional anxious thought, there’s likely no need to be concerned about your emotional well-being or mental fitness. However, chronic worrying can be a symptom of something more serious, like an anxiety disorder. This type of worry can lead to physical symptoms like muscle tension, insomnia or poor sleep hygiene, stomach pain, back pain, and panic attacks. Are anxiety and chronic stress starting to interfere with your daily life, work, or relationships? If so, it’s time to get serious about learning how to stop chronic worrying.
Why do I worry so much?
Chronic worry can be triggered by anything. From working at a difficult job to becoming a new parent, there’s likely always going to be something in life for us to worry about. To find out why you may be an endless worrier, take some time to reflect and examine your self-awareness. Consider if any of these reasons could be causing your anxiety:
A stressful work environment
Dealing with a toxic leadership
Life changes such as having a child, divorce, moving
Financial challenges, job loss, or planning for a big purchase (like a home)
Relationship conflict with family, friends, or others
with family, friends, or others Physical health issues or concerns
Everyday inconveniences like traffic or housework
Too many social commitments, responsibilities, or obligations
Lack of time for self-care practices and hobbies
The key to managing the anxiety that comes with each of these situations is to learn strategies for how to stop worrying and start living.
Why is it so hard to stop worrying?
Once you start worrying, it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of anxious and automatic thoughts. Over time, this can seriously impact your mental health. If you don’t learn strategies for how to stop worrying, it can feel like you’ll be stuck with chronic worry forever.
Sometimes, worry feels productive. Taking time to relax and stop thinking about what’s stressing you out can feel lazy — and even cause more worry! Even though it may seem like the easier path is to stay stressed, you’ll be happier in the long run if you take the time to learn how to stop worrying.
How worrying affects your body
One of the most insidious parts about worrying is the effect it has on our physical, mental, and emotional health. In fact, over a third of Americans visited a doctor over a stress-related illness in 2018, and many illnesses may be perpetuated by stress. If this sounds like you, it’s time to learn how to stop worrying.
Along with causing physical symptoms, worry and stress can also make it harder to recover from illness. Here are a few ways worry may be impacting your overall well-being.
What is the safest country in a war?
1- Iceland Due to its remoteness, lack of military, and geothermal energy, Iceland is one of the safest nuclear war zones. Nuclear missiles cannot...
Physical signs can be the first sign that constant worrying is becoming a problem. Headaches, stomach aches, and shortness of breath can indicate that you’re experiencing excessive worry.
Want to learn how to stop worrying? One important step is to recognize the common symptoms of chronic worry or anxiety:
Exhaustion no matter how many hours you sleep
Difficulty concentrating
Racing heartbeat
Trembling or shaky hands
Stomach pain, nausea, or other gastrointestinal problems
Sweating more than usual
Feeling restless, tense, or paranoid
These symptoms can also serve as a sign to examine how you’re feeling. You may need to practice deep breathing and focus on relieving your worry. Ultimately, one of the first steps towards learning how to stop worrying is to identify these physical symptoms.
2. Worry can cause a stress response
Ongoing worry can quickly evolve into chronic stress. When you have a stress response, you may have a tough time identifying exactly what worrying thoughts got you there.
Over time, repetitive negative thoughts can trigger other stress responses in your body. While it may seem like your mind is going a mile a minute, tracking your thoughts and the physical sensations in your body can help slow stress.
Worry begets worry, so it’s easy to start worrying about one or two bad things, only to end up worrying about even more areas of your life. When anxious thoughts become part of your everyday life, your stress can show up at work, with your family, in your finances, and even in your hobbies. In addition, feelings of stress are becoming more and more common in adults over the past few years. Learning how to stop worrying is more crucial than ever to maintain good mental health. Over time, too much worry can impact your emotional resilience and make completing necessary tasks harder. Learning how to stop worrying can bring relief and happiness to your life. This can quickly reverse the effects of excessive stress and anxiety. How can you stop worrying? Chronic worry can quickly start to negatively impact your day-to-day life and overall mental health. Thankfully, with a little practice, you can make excessive worry a thing of the past. Here are our best strategies for how to stop worrying and finally start living: Mindfulness and meditation Deep breathing Practice self-compassion Do a body scan Share your fears with friends and family Practice gratitude Keep an emotions journal Maintain a consistent sleep schedule Focus on what you can control Exercise more often Take positive action Enlist professional help
8. Distinguish between what you can control and what you can’t
Worrying is usually focused on a problem that needs to be controlled, putting our focus on “what if” rather than the present moment.
Many people falsely believe that spending more time worrying about a problem will make it easier to find a solution.
If you’re preparing for an interview, you may be able to stop worrying and control the situation by researching the company or the interviewer. But, if you’re waiting for the results of an interview, worrying about the results won’t solve the problem because it’s out of your control.
If you’re struggling as a chronic worrier, ask yourself, “What can I control?” This can help you be more proactive when there is something you can do. Plus, this mindset can help release your worry when you discover there’s nothing you need to do about the situation.
Want to learn how to stop worrying about things out of your control? When you notice there’s nothing you can or need to control right now, stop searching for a solution and let yourself relax.
9. Stop worrying, with regular exercise
What are the 3 things a woman wants in a man?
Women desire a man who is honorable, fair, and ethical. In terms of relationships, having integrity can help strengthen the bond a man has with a...
Want to learn how to stop worrying? Focusing on your body with something like yoga can help ground you in the present moment. Even if your mind is racing with negative thoughts, going for a walk or run may help shift your attention.
Your physical health is an important buffer against constant worry as it is harder to break the cycle when you don't feel well or have low energy.
Listening to music also is a great relaxation technique and a powerful way to stop worry in its tracks. Hitting the gym with your headphones in can get your blood pumping and help you stop worrying instantly.
Even simple stretches can help reduce worry. Relieving tension in your neck, back, legs, and arms can lead to a flood of endorphins.
10. Stop worrying by taking positive action
Doing something you love is a great way to keep your stress at bay and leave behind your worry habit. Not only does taking positive action distract you from your worries, but it also allows you to expel extra energy.
Focusing on any activity that makes you feel good can quickly shift your state of mind and help you stop worrying instantly. Here are a few powerful positive actions you can take right now:
Take a walk with your dog, children, or while listening to your favorite podcast
Paint or work on a creative project — the craft aisle at your favorite store probably has lots of kits with all the supplies you need
Watch your favorite movie and indulge in a delicious snack
Blast your most loved music while doing the dishes or cleaning your home
Ultimately, participating in a hobby or an activity you truly enjoy is a powerful method for helping you learn how to stop worrying.
11. Stop worrying by enlisting professional help
Ultimately, you deserve to live a life you love, and endless worry can prevent you from fully thriving. Chronic conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder or depression are tough to address on your own.
When anxiety, stress, and worry become too much to handle alone, the best method for how to stop worrying is to seek professional help.
From therapy to coaching, to mentoring, there are limitless ways to get the help you need. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, specifically, can be a great, life-changing tool. Remember to speak to a few different therapists, coaches, or counselors to help you find the right fit.
Above all, prioritize your mental health. In time, with the right professionals on your team, you can finally stop worrying and start living.
Leave worry in the past
Are you ready to stop constantly worrying about “what if”?
At the end of the day, you’re the only one who can take the action needed to conquer your anxiety, worry less, and live the life you deserve. If you’re ready to learn how to stop worrying once and for all, try these strategies today. And remember — you’re not alone.
Need help with worrying? Get in touch with a BetterUp coach and learn how to be the best version of yourself.
Survivalist Pro
Photo: cottonbro studio
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion