“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.” – Laird Hamilton

I used to spend a lot of time worrying and feeling anxious at how life was going to unfold.  Kicking thoughts around in my head and turning them into much more than they were to begin with. We are especially guilty of this in love relationships. What does the other person think? Do they really care? I wonder if they feel the same? You could take something they said completely the wrong way and then the tornado in your mind begins. Next thing you know, that minor comment is now World War 3.

We have to learn what battles to pick. What really matters? Is what you are worrying about and letting fester going to matter in a day or a week or a year? Surrender the petty worry that plagues your mind. Clear the spaces in your head consumed with worries and replace them with positive thoughts. When you catch yourself worrying or turning something into more than it is, physically stop what you are doing and take notice. Shift your thoughts to the good in what you are deliberating about. Sometimes this means putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. Other times it means getting out of your own head. What ever it may be, stop yourself dead in your tracks and think about 3 things you can be thankful for instead.  The more your practice this, the easier it gets and the more often you start to pick up on these patterns. You will catch yourself in action and realize “I’m doing it again!”

Surrender your worries to God. There is nothing to worry about. You are right where you need to be. “Worry chokes The Word.” When you feel worried, that is the exact moment you need to stop, drop and pray. Show thanks and be grateful for what you do have. This is the quickest way to give worry a swift kick.

Worry is fear-based. When you worry, you are being fooled. Fear is an illusion. It is not real. Fear is the Devil’s way of bringing you over to the dark side for as long as he can keep you there. So, when you shine light on him by praying, you defeat the fear. Darkness cannot survive in the light. Just like when you turn a light on in a room. It is impossible for it to stay dark.

The minutes in your life clock are already set. They have been set since the day you were created. Worrying will never add any time to your clock. In fact, what it does is waste your minutes. The minutes you spend worrying could be spent doing something much more productive. Remember that next time worry sets in and tell it to “stop wasting YOUR time.”

Photo Credit: Tyler Shields