2024 and be anxious no more

With overwhelming price increases and the evaporation of the silly season, many of us are left with lots to worry about.
Let me share with you a gift - an N.L.P (Neurolinguistic Programming Technique called ‘Worry Time’. The purpose of this technique is to make "negative thinking useful.
Have you ever noticed that many people spend all their time trapped in thought loops, spinning around on all the things that could go wrong, feeling stuck and never taking action?
This is highly stressful and damaging to the body as it will trigger the stress response and it will also teach the body to become addicted to the emotional/feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, stress, etc.
Over time this creates a chemical addiction in the body, and also wires a deeper ingrained neural pathway, and then this habit can become part of your personality/identity.
This aside, there is actually a lot of value in ‘negative thinking’ if it is used properly; the problem is most people don't know how to use their thinking in a way to create solutions and get out of their own traps.
It was Einstein who said, "you cannot overcome a problem with the same level of thinking that created it”.
This new approach to thinking has been used by most innovative and creative thinkers to take potential problems and create opportunities. inventions and solutions that have changed the world, just by asking themselves the right questions.
Make sure you set a timer for each step/question so you just start writing, this will help eliminate over-thinking and just get you into the activity and emptying your head.
Problem-based thinking
Step 1: Empty your head - write down everything you are worried about right now. Make a list of all of your worries. and number them as you go. For example, ‘I won't finish work in time to pick up the kids’ or ‘I might run out of money’.
Step 2: Write down for each above worry 'What is the worst that could happen?' For example, ‘the kids could be left at school alone’ or ‘I could default on my payments, be unable to pay my bills or get utilities disconnected’.
Solution-based thinking
Write down for each worry/worst-case scenario
Step 3A: What can you do to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening?
This becomes your 'to do’ list which empowers you in the present moment. For example, ‘I can make sure I book my appointments earlier’ and ‘I can ask for payment extensions. can ask for help from others. can set aside some savings could aet a credit card.
Step 3B: Write down what you can do it the worst-case scenario does happen? What can you focus on in the present. what can you control? For example, ‘call Bob and let him know I can't make it, or tell the kids to go to Jenny's house after school if I am not there waiting for them’ or ‘I can dip into my savings, I can get refinance, I can move in with family, I can sell assets, get a second job, start my own business’.
Try using solution-based thinking as part of your new strategy for 2024 and see how your worrying shifts.
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