How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

✅ “I measure accomplishments not by how tired I am at the end of the day, but by tired I am not. When I feel particularly tired at the end of the day or when irritability nerves are tired, I know that it has been an inefficient day by quality and quantity. ✅ Our life is what our thoughts make it. Take One Day at a Time Live in "day-tight compartments." This doesn't mean not to think about the future. It's good to have goals. Just don't spend time being anxious about the future. Take one task at a time. One grain of sand at a time. Live each day until bedtime. If You Have a Worry, Ask These Three Questions (And Write Them Down!): What is the worst that can possibly happen? Prepare to mentally accept it if you have to. Calmly proceed to improve on the worst. Additionally, ask these four questions: What am I worrying about? What can I do about it? Here is what I’m going to do about it: When am I going to start doing it? How to Solve a Problem Ask yourself these four questions: What is the problem? What is the cause of the problem? What are all possible solutions to the problem? What solution do you suggest? How to Avoid Worry: Get Busy (My Favorite!) Before Jesus showed up, doctors would prescribe occupational therapy, telling their patients to get busy. Getting busy is the best cure for worrying because you don’t have the time to worry. Your brain can’t focus on two emotions at once, so if you’re doing something, you won’t have time to worry about it. Even Churchill said, “Worry? I don’t have time for worry!” Don’t Become Upset About the Little Things. Life is Too Short to be Little Cooperate With the Inevitable God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. The Stop Loss Principle In the stock market, many people buy stock then automatically sell it if it gets below a threshold. If a stock is $50, they sell if it gets below $45, minimizing downside. Dale also used this for lunch with someone always late. If he showed up more than 10 minutes late, Dale would leave. Rule 5: Ask these Three Questions How much does this thing I’m worrying about really matter to me? At what point should I set a stop loss order on this worry and forget it? Exactly how much should I pay for this whistle? Have I already paid more than it’s worth? Part 4 in a Nutshell Let's fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope, for our life is what our thoughts make it. Let's never try to get even with our enemies because if we do, we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like. Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. Let's remember that the only way to achieve happiness is not to expect gratitude, but through giving. Let's remember that gratitude is a cultivated trait, so if we want our children to be grateful, we must train them to be grateful. Focus on the good things in life, not your troubles. Let’s not imitate others. Let’s find ourselves and be ourselves, for envy is ignorance, and imitation is suicide. When fate hands us a lemon, let’s try to make a lemonade. Let’s forget our own unhappiness by trying to create a little happiness for others. When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. Part Five Find peace by turning to something greater than yourself. Prayer helps with this. Part Six: Habits to Help With Worry Write down quotes or poems that give you energy and read them when you are stuck. Write down what you need to do for work tomorrow the night before. This lets you get more work done. Lie on the floor and squeeze your muscles starting at your feet, then unsqueeze them and go up your body. Tell your muscles to relax while doing it. Quiet your nerves by slow breathing. Part Seven: The Four Best Working Habits Clear your desk of all papers except those relating to the immediate problem at hand. Do things in the order of their importance. When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have all the facts necessary to make a decision. Put enthusiasm into your work. Delegate some of your work to others. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Doing everything yourself is a sure way to exhaustion.