As autumn begins to take shape here in the Midwest I see many small changes taking place. It starts with the weather, then I notice the leaves begin to change color and the trees dropping them away. It isn’t a sudden change, it is a slow process.
It’s the little things that often catch us off guard. We don’t even notice until suddenly, it is here. With the weather, the hot summer days were here, then suddenly it is cold winter. Autumn changes things so slowly I don’t even notice.
We see this often in our children. I remember taking my little ones to their first day of preschool. Now, one of my daughters is experiencing the concern that occurs now that her little one is a licensed driver. My other daughter is feeling the pangs of an empty nest as her little one is becoming a man out on his own.
They, too, recall that it seems like it was yesterday they were excited to hear their little ones speak their first words, take their first steps, go away into a classroom, and letting go of their little hands.
Little things can happen that we know need to happen, but still, that little thing called worry starts to creep in. If not our children, it could be our relationships, money, our jobs, and a million other things every single day.
When worry starts to creep in, there are 2 questions I found to ask yourself.
What Are You Really Worried About?
Many times, worry is a mask for something else entirely. A hard look and some pointed questions might be necessary to get to the heart of the matter.
There was a personnel change in the office. Is worry causing you to fear for your own job?
Using the examples I made of my grandchildren, what is the true worry? Perhaps it is more than just the new phase of life they are entering. Could some of the worry be self-focused on the new role the parent is facing. Is there more?
Once you have a clear understanding of what the real issue is, it’s easier to address it and halt worry before it takes over completely.
If the irst question is “What Are You Really Worried About?” the second would be
Is This Something I Can Control?
We’re very good at worrying about something we can’t change. One of the hardest lessons in my life was accepting my children were growing up. I can’t change that fact. And the weather? Seriously, what difference does it make if it snows tomorrow? There is absolutely nothing I can do to keep the flakes from falling. I know it is hard, but, sometimes you’re just going to have to go with the flow and adapt to the circumstances. Weather changes. Children grow up. Life goes on.
And life goes on whether I worry about it or not.
For me, this is where I turn worry into prayer and lay it at the feet of my Savior. I have learned I can live in a state of constant fretting and worry over things I have absolutely no control over, or I can live in peace that is beyond the understanding of many.
That is a time I certainly put on my tiara and remind myself whose I am – I am a child of God.
If there is nothing I can do about the situation, worry will not change one iota of it. If there is something I can do about it, then I need to take the action needed to resolve it. Worry won’t do that. The only thing my worry will do is steal my inner peace.
What are you worried about today? Worry becomes a thing of the past when we’re mindful of it, and don’t let it become obsessive.
With a change of PERSPECTIVE, stepping out of worry, you may notice POSSIBILITIES and new PATHWAYS you can walk upon and PROCEED through the situation with PEACE.
Imagine the difference a life without so much worry will make.