Ponderings (June 2009) - “WORRY”

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary …

Worry is “to subject to persistent or nagging attention or effort; to afflict with mental distress or agitation: make anxious; to move, proceed, or progress by unceasing or difficult effort: struggle; to feel or experience concern or anxiety; fret”

Sharing my thoughts …

I tend to be a worrier; but this month, I’ve worried more than usual.  I’ve been upbeat and optimist through most of my chemo treatments; however, I was anxious going into the 5th treatment.  I was fretting and worrying that perhaps the treatments weren’t working.  The morning of my PET scan I was consumed with worry.  What if the tumor was still there?  Luckily, the scan showed the tumor is gone; the cancer is in remission.  Of course I felt an immediate relief with this news.  Looking back, I realize I made myself and my family miserable with my worrying.  In fact, almost all of the things I’ve worried about in my life have not come true.  So the only thing worry has done is waste my time and enjoyment of life.  It’s time to let go of worry – to choose a different response.  Will it be easy?  Maybe not; but, I do believe it will be worth it!

Questions to ponder …

  1. How does worry serve you?
  2. What do you worry about most?
  3. How much of your time is wasted worrying?
  4. What can you do to stop yourself from worrying?
  5. How many times have the things you worried about come true?
  6. What is the biggest worry you’ve had and how did you deal with it?
  7. How do you feel emotionally, physically, and spiritually when you worry?
  8. How do you feel when you are around someone who is fretting and worrying?

Related quotes …

What, me worry?  [Alfred E. Newman]

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its strength.  [A.J. Cronin]

I’m an old man and have had many troubles, most of which never happened.  [Mark Twain]

Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.  If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.  [Arthur S. Roche]